Twins Rania and Amina are “nothing short of a miracle.” Siman Nuurali returned from a trip to Kenya, Africa, and was not feeling well. Thinking it might be malaria, Siman went to her doctor. It was there she found out she was pregnant. But the surprises didn’t stop there, after doing an ultrasound, Siman was thrilled to find out she was having twins!
While the journey to the twins’ birth had its ups and downs, the twins are now 10 years old and thriving.
A diagnosis in-utero that changed everything
Siman recalls feeling unwell during each of her pregnancies – she had three before this one. But this pregnancy was different. “This pregnancy was so much worse than normal,” said Siman. She thought it might be because she was having twins, but the unfortunate feelings continued.
Siman went in for a checkup with her OB-GYN at 18 weeks when she continued to feel unwell. Her doctor was concerned enough to send her to the Midwest Fetal Care Center (MWFCC) for additional care. That is when things changed drastically. Her ultrasound tech found something abnormal, so that appointment turned into a lengthy one during which she met with fetal interventionalists from the MWFCC.
It was there that they confirmed twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS), a rare condition in which the twins share the same placenta. What happens is, one twin will donate blood to the other while in the womb, so one baby will have too much blood and one baby won’t have enough. TTTS only occurs in about 10-15% of twins and can be life-threatening for both.
Siman’s care team said she would need in-utero fetoscopic laser ablation surgery, which blocks the transfer of blood between babies. Thankfully, the MWFCC team is full of experts in this field.
“I knew people traveled from states away to get care at MWFCC,” Siman said. “I gained a larger appreciation to be a resident of the state where a fantastic, cutting-edge surgery could happen.”
Siman had surgery the next day and it was a success!
A premature arrival
After surgery, the next challenge was to carry both of her twins as long and as safely as possible. Unfortunately, that didn’t last long, and she started to experience complications. At Siman’s 24-week appointment, she started contractions and checked in to The Mother Baby Center, a collaboration between Allina Health and Children’s Minnesota. Four days later, her care team told her it was time to deliver the babies.
The twins, Rania and Amina, were born on February 11, 2014. Rania was delivered first and weighed 1 pound, 4 ounces. Amina was delivered a minute later and weighed only 1 pound, 7 ounces. They both needed immediate care to help stabilize them after birth.
Once stabilized, both babies were brought to Children’s Minnesota’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). In the NICU, they were closely monitored to make sure they were getting stronger and healthier. The twins would spend months at Children’s Minnesota receiving the expert care they needed to get better. They were moved to the infant care center (ICC) at Children’s Minnesota as they grew.
Amina, the stronger of the two twins, was able to go home in May! But her sister, Rania, needed some extra care. Not long after, Rania was soon discharged in early June.
“I am moved by the incredible care I received from so many doctors and nurses, who helped both me and my girls heal,” Siman said.
From patient family to employee
Siman spent the first year caring for the twins, helping them grow and stabilize. When she knew the twins were OK, she was ready to return to the workforce – and she did just that by joining the kid experts at Children’s Minnesota!
“I applied to work at Children’s Minnesota because of my twins,” said Siman. “I was impressed by the hospital as a patient and as a family, and I wanted to continue that relationship.”
Siman has worked at Children’s Minnesota for eight years. “It always struck me as a fantastic place that provides fantastic care.”
Celebrating 100 years at Children’s Minnesota
Children’s Minnesota is celebrating a century of care in 2024! Siman is thrilled to be part of such an incredible celebration.
“Something that is really important to me in my life and in my relationships is consistency,” Siman said. “And that’s what the 100th year means to me: consistency. You are able to come back and have the same thing – this institution, its longevity and reliability of care, that’s what you get.”
The twins today
Amina and Rania turned 10 years old in February 2024.
Because of their long journey as young babies, their older siblings are protective of them and only want the best for them. Siman, the twins and their family love to read and watch movies. “We’re all nerds so we all like similar stuff,” Siman described smiling. “I’m grateful for all of them.”
Throughout childhood, the twins had regular appointments at Children’s Minnesota to ensure they were growing as they should. Now that they are 10 years old, they have fewer specialty appointments and only have a few ongoing ones. “There is something to say about not only pediatric care, but specialized pediatric care,” Siman said.
A century of caring for kids
Children’s Minnesota has been here for 100 years. And it’s all because of you: the people who bring your kids here, who work here, who refer patients for specialty treatment, who support our families with donations and who rally around them in the community. Join us in celebrating a century of care — and a bright, healthy future for Minnesota kids.
