A healthy twin managed to save her sister’s life by sending out signals while still in the womb, prompting doctors to deliver them early.

When baby Poppy McBride’s heart rate started to speed up on the monitor at 31 weeks, Texas doctors were quick to deliver her and her twin sister, Winnie.

But upon evaluation, there was nothing wrong with Poppy’s heart. In fact, she was completely healthy and it was Winnie who needed medical intervention.

Their proud mother Leah McBride, 28, shared: “Our doctors told us, ‘I think your tiny twin saved her sister’s life.’

‘Poppy’s heart rate had been all over the place, so they had to deliver but when she was born, she was completely fine.

“They think she was sending out distress signals because she knew her sister wouldn’t survive if they weren’t delivered then.”

Leah was 21 weeks pregnant when she was told that her babies had twin-to-twin transfusion. This meant there was an imbalance of blood circulation that causes one fetus to become a donor while the other was a recipient of nutrients.

She then underwent a successful surgery to correct the imbalance and managed to reach 31 weeks and 5 days before Poppy started to send distress signals.

Despite being born weighing only 1lb 11oz, Poppy was healthy and there was nothing wrong with her heart. She had to stay in the hospital until she gained enough weight to go home.

But her twin sister Winnie, born weighing 3lb 8oz, was born with underdeveloped lungs and was transferred to the intensive care unit. She also underwent surgery at only two weeks old to relieve a build-up of fluid on her brain.

Now, both sisters are perfectly healthy and they’re the best of friends.

“They are as smart as can be,” Leah said. “Winnie is smarter than average. She can read books from memory at 3. I tried to move their beds apart recently and they weren’t having it.”

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