If you are expecting twins and don't
know what to expect, then this is for you. Many women pregnant with twins
have no idea what to expect, but that doesn't mean they -- and you --
can't learn. So here is some information from different medical experts from the United States to help you understand what's
happening when you're expecting twins.
No. 1: You are more likely to become pregnant with twins naturally when you are in your 30s and 40s.
We all hear that the older we get, the harder it is to conceive, but
advancing age may actually increase the likelihood of a twin
pregnancy. Once you are 25 or into your 30s and 40s, ovulatory
cycles are not regular anymore. If you are not regular and do ovulate,
you could be ovulating two follicles at the same time.
No. 2: If you have two buns in the oven, you may need extra folic acid.
Women pregnant with twins may need more folic acid to help stave off
birth defects.1 milligram of folic acid per day for twin pregnancies
and 0.4 milligrams for singleton pregnancies are recommended. Folic acid is known to reduce risk of neural tube birth defects
such as spina bifida.
No. 3: Women pregnant with twins clock in more time at the obstetrician.
Twin pregnancies require more monitoring than single pregnancies . Frequent ultrasounds for growth in twin
pregnancies are likely to be done, compared with one anatomy scan and one growth scan in a
singleton pregnancy.
But along with additional testing comes risk. For example, the
chance of miscarriage after amniocentesis is higher in twin pregnancies. The mother is being stuck twice, so if the risk of
miscarriage is one of 1,000 in singleton pregnancies, it would increase
it to one in 500 for twins.
No. 4: Morning sickness may be worse with twin pregnancies.
One of the things that is postulated as causing morning sickness is
high levels of human chorionic gonadotropin, and we know that levels
of this hormone are higher in twin pregnancies, so women carrying twins
have a higher incidence of nausea and vomiting in the first trimester. Most morning sickness abates within 12 to
14 weeks of pregnancy -- even in twin pregnancies.
That's not all, moms pregnant with twins complain of
more back pain, sleeping difficulties, and heartburn than moms who are
carrying one child. Moms pregnant with twins also have a higher rate of
maternal anemia and a higher rate of postpartum hemorrhage (bleeding)
after delivery.
No. 5: Spotting may be more common during twin pregnancies.
When you spot in the first trimester, you could be undergoing a
miscarriage, and miscarriages are more common in mothers of twins,
triplets, and quadruplets -- so we see more spotting in first trimester
with multiples.
But a little spotting is no reason to hit the panic button even in
twin pregnancies. A little spotting in the absence of cramps is
reassuring, but when you are cramping, passing clots, and actively
bleeding, that is a sign that's something is happening and you should
seek medical advice.
No. 6: You don't feel the babies kicking any earlier with twin pregnancies.
Generally when you are pregnant with twins, fetal movements become
more noticeable at weeks 18 through 20 of pregnancy, and the same is
true in singleton pregnancies. When a woman begins to
feel fetal movements actually depends on whether she has been pregnant
before. If you have been pregnant before, you know what fetal movement
is, but if you are pregnant for the first time, you really can't
distinguish the movement from gastrointestinal activity.
No. 7: Moms pregnant with twins may gain more weight than moms carrying one child.
With twins, mothers gain more weight as there are two babies, two
placentas, and more amniotic fluid. You also need more
calories for twin pregnancies."
Still, there is not a
well-established formula for weight gain during twin pregnancies. The average weight gain is 25 pounds for singleton pregnancy and
30-35 pounds for twins. We don't want moms pregnant with twins to gain
more than 40 [pounds] or less than 15 pounds.
The Institute of Medicine's provisional guidelines for weight gain in women expecting twins say:
- Women of normal weight should aim to gain 37-54 pounds
- Overweight women should aim to gain 31-50 pounds
- Obese women should aim to gain 25-42 pounds
Exactly how much weight should you gain? The IOM recommends that
you talk to your health care provider about that, because every
pregnancy is unique.
No. 8: Risk of developing gestational diabetes is higher in twin pregnancies.
The gestational diabetes risk is higher in twin pregnancy. That said, the biggest risk of gestational diabetes is having
larger babies and requiring a C-section delivery.
While gestational diabetes is more common, the morbidity associated
with it is less common because twin babies are not big babies.
Still, moms who develop gestational diabetes during pregnancy are
more likely to develop type 2 diabetes later in life.
No. 9: Risk of preeclampsia during pregnancy is higher in twin pregnancies.
People really don't know what causes preeclampsia to start, but we
know it occurs more frequently in twin pregnancies.
Preeclampsia is marked by high blood pressure, protein in the urine, and
sometimes swelling in the feet, legs, and hands. It is the precursor
to the more serious, potentially fatal eclampsia.
No. 10: Labor (and delivery) may come early with twin pregnancies.
Most moms carrying twins go into labor at 36 to 37 weeks, as opposed
to 40 in a single pregnancy, and some may go even
earlier. Generally, if the twins are born after 34 weeks, there should
not be a major concern, but a premature baby is still a premature
baby. Twins are at higher risk of preterm labor and delivery
and have higher degree of respiratory issues. As a result of being
born too early, twins may be born at low birth weights, and such babies
tend to have more health problems than babies born weighing more than
5.5 pounds.
Unfortunately, there is no evidence that bed rest alone prevents
preterm labor or delivery in twin pregnancies, and the use of agents to
stop preterm labor have not been proven to be effective either. Stopping premature labor is challenging in multiple gestations.
No. 11: Cesarean section deliveries may be more common in twin pregnancies.
The likelihood of having a C-section is absolutely higher in twin
pregnancies. There is also a higher incidence of the baby
being in breech position among twins than singletons.When the baby is
in a breech position, a C-section delivery is usually required.
