Carrying Multiples
How is Pregnancy Different?
Hearing your doctor say, “There they are!” at your first ultrasound appointment (around 8- 10 weeks), is certain to be the first of many surprises you’ll experience as an expecting mom of twins, or super twins (triplets or more). Another piece of news that may come as a surprise: a pregnancy with multiples is very different than carrying a singleton to term, and the pregnancy should be managed in a different way.
After all, if you have two people sharing one room, you wouldn’t treat it the same as if just one person was in that room. You need more furniture and more closet space. Similarly, women who are carrying multiples need more food and more attention.
To ensure you deliver the healthiest babies possible, it’s important that you ask the right questions, understand the guidelines for a pregnancy with multiples, and create a specific plan of care with your doctor.
The main differences between your pregnancy and a singleton pregnancy include:
The Nutrition You Need
If you’re carrying multiples, you need to gain more weight than usual to support a healthy pregnancy ― and it’s especially important to gain this weight early on in the pregnancy, when your babies are first starting to develop. Depending on BMI, women who are pregnant with twins should gain anywhere from 10-25 pounds by 20 weeks of gestation.
The Red Flags You Watch For
Having multiples means you should be prepared and ready for a pregnancy that comes along with its own set of rules – and of course, its own set of possible complications.
For example, gestational diabetes and preeclampsia (which is characterized by high blood pressure) are relatively common complications when carrying multiples. So you’ll want to make sure your doctor is checking for these often.
And for those moms with monochorionic twins (identical babies who share the same placenta), you’ll need even more extra attention when monitoring their development. The most important thing to be aware of is the risk for twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) ―the number one complication affecting identical twins. TTTS occurs when one of the babies doesn’t have enough blood and the other has too much. Left untreated, severe TTTS can result in the loss of both fetuses in up to 90% of pregnancies, but if this condition is detected early, there is a lot that can be done to stop the affects it has on your babies!
The Key Thing to Remember
Carrying multiples automatically means your pregnancy is classified as high-touch. And having identical twins classifies you as high-risk, but that doesn’t mean having multiples is anything to be scared about! It only means that you need extra care in order to monitor your pregnancy appropriately to ensure you have the healthiest possible pregnancy.
Remember, having multiples is a blessing and with the best obstetrical care, you can ensure that you deliver the healthiest babies possible.