Teacher with Heart Condition Feared Twins Could Kill Her — Gave Birth on Christmas Eve

Abby Wood, a preschool teacher diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy, feared carrying twins could be fatal but gave birth to sons Simon and Clive on Christmas Eve 2024, she tells PEOPLE. Wood first experienced heart flutters in high school and in 2020 returned to cardiology care after more frequent episodes.

Tests showed more than 20% premature heartbeats that had enlarged her heart and affected its ability to pump, a condition known as dilated cardiomyopathy; she was placed on beta blockers and required regular check-ups. After five failed rounds of IUI the couple switched to IVF. A maternal fetal medicine specialist advised doing one embryo transfer because of her heart, but on June 24, 2024 — Chris’ birthday — the couple learned Abby was carrying twins.

Abby says she was “absolutely terrified” after being told previously, “If you have twins, it will likely kill you.” She was referred to specialists at Massachusetts General Hospital — obstetrician Dr. William Barth and cardiologist Dr. Whitney Coppolino — who reassured her and closely monitored her pregnancy.

Abby wore weeklong heart monitors, stopped working on Oct. 31, 2024, and was briefly admitted in early December when her echocardiogram showed declining function and she was nearing early heart failure before returning home with a live-feed heart monitor. Abby says she felt terrified arriving for her C-section but the delivery was normal: Clive was born first at 4 lbs., 15 oz., followed by Simon at 5 lbs., 2 oz.

abby wood, dilated cardiomyopathy, twin pregnancy risks, simon and clive, christmas eve 2024, massachusetts general hospital, dr. william barth, dr. whitney coppolino, beta blockers pregnancy, ivf twins, c-section delivery, premature heartbeats, live-feed heart monitor