Twin births are more common than ever. Out of every 1,000 births, 32 are twins, and it’s more likely for women in their 30s and 40s.
Twin births are fascinating, but they also come with issues that single births lack, such as different dietary and supplemental needs, stronger symptoms, and more doctor visits.
But what about risks like preterm labor? Do they happen more often with twin births, and how do we care for them when they occur?
Women in the Lake Mary, Florida, area preparing to welcome twin babies can count on Dr. Christopher Quinsey and his team for quality care throughout their pregnancy.
You need to adapt to and properly manage the physical and hormonal changes your body undergoes during pregnancy for your and your baby’s health. Still, when having twins, some new needs and expectations present themselves:
Some symptoms in twin pregnancy will feel worse, like morning sickness, back pain, sleeping problems, heartburn, and spotting, in part due to higher levels of human chorionic gonadotropin (a hormone that the placenta produces).
Folic acid in higher doses is helpful for pregnant women with twins to lower the chances of birth defects.
Since two babies mean more weight from the babies alone as the pregnancy progresses, it also creates more amniotic fluid and multiple placentas. The difference in weight between them is approximately 25 pounds in single births, and up to 35 pounds for twin births, though the actual weight varies.
With multiple births, you have a greater chance of conditions like preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, hypertension, and anemia. You’re also a lot more likely to give birth through cesarean section (C-section), as the infants are more likely to be in breech during delivery.
In addition to the risks we already mentioned, twins are born prematurely more than half the time, which can lead to newborn health issues and possible lasting problems as they grow.
Women frequently go into labor in the 36-37 week window with twins, but any risk associated with being born at this point is minimal. As long as they are born after 34 weeks, they have a lower risk of complications.
A concern that is also associated with preterm births is low birth weight, which twins often deal with. Over half of twins are less than 5.5 pounds, which puts them at greater risk of hearing and vision loss, cerebral palsy, and mental disabilities.
The statistics may sound scary, but we have decades of experience delivering babies in single or multiple births. We can give them the best chance of a healthy delivery and a good start to life.
Like any pregnancy, twin births have risks associated with them, like preterm labor, but make an appointment with us, and we can help.
