First, if you expect twins or triplets, let us congratulate you. Expecting a new baby is as exciting as it can be confusing and even a little bit scary. When expecting twins or triplets, you can be even more confused and full of questions, especially if it’s a pregnancy with a higher risk of complications.
Your multifetal pregnancy shouldn’t be scary, and we can help you get through it quickly. All the answers you should know will be provided by the best obstetrician in Jacksonville so that you can ease your mind.
What Is Multifetal Pregnancy or Multiple Gestation?
Multifetal pregnancy and multiple gestations are the same things, a term used for a pregnancy where more than one baby is carried at a time.
Two babies are called baby twins, and three babies are called triplets. But there are also cases of pregnancies with more than three babies, called high-order multiples.
Multifetal pregnancy is always considered a higher risk pregnancy. Obstetrics Jacksonville, Fl can help you if you have questions regarding this topic.
Why do Multiple Gestation Pregnancies Happen?
For a multiple gestation pregnancy to happen, two or more separate eggs need to be fertilized by different sperm at the exact moment. Or another possible scenario is that one egg that’s fertilized splits before it is implanted in the uterine lining.
When an egg is fertilized and then split, the twins or triplets are identical. While in the other situation, where more separate eggs are fertilized, baby twins or triplets are not identical and don’t have to be the same sex. And this is also an explanation of why some baby twins are identical while others are not
Identical Twins and Triplets
If you are expecting baby twins or triplets, you’ll have to wait until the birth to see if they are identical or not. If your babies are all the same sex, there’s a great chance that they will be identical. It’s because identical babies share the same genetic material, and they’ll always be the same sex.
How Often Multiple Gestations Happen?
There are a few factors that can increase your chances of having multifetal pregnancy, and those are:
- You are going through IVF.
- You are older.
- You have twins or triplets in your family.
Nowadays, many women use in vitro fertilization and other fertility treatments, resulting in a twin pregnancy. Often, more than one fertilized egg is transferred into the womb to increase the odds of a successful pregnancy.
As women get older, their bodies release more eggs simultaneously, resulting in twin pregnancy.
Genetics also plays a significant role in multiple gestations. If you are a twin, have them in your family, or triplets, the chances are higher to have a twin pregnancy. If you want to know if you have a chance of having a twin pregnancy, you should look at your mother’s side of the family because this genetic trait is passed down through that side.
Possible Complications With Multiple Gestation
Every pregnancy can be high risk, whether with one baby, baby twins, or triplets. However, multifetal pregnancy is considered a higher risk than pregnancy with one baby. This information shouldn’t scare you because not every multifetal pregnancy is risky. Complications during pregnancy often happen and due to many factors.
It would help you know about the various risks and problems and talk about them with your healthcare provider.
We’ll also talk about possible complications during multiple gestations.
- Premature labor and birth
- Placenta abruption
- Fetal growth restriction
- Gestational hypertension
- Preeclampsia
- Gestational diabetes
Premature Labor and Birth
In cases of twin or triplets’ pregnancy, premature labor and birth are more common than single pregnancies. It’s not definitive, but most multifetal pregnancies end in early labor that starts before 37 weeks. The ideal labor period is after 37 weeks, and those babies are called moderately premature infants. There’s a better chance of them being healthy and having a good weight than the babies born before 37 weeks.
Placenta Abruption
Placental abruption is an emergency and can happen to any woman, even those carrying single babies. But it’s more common in multiple gestation pregnancies.
Fetal Growth Restriction
Another complication that can happen is that one of your babies is not growing enough, and it’s small for its gestational age. It can lead to premature birth and babies with low weight at birth.
Gestational Hypertension
Hypertension is high blood pressure, and it’s a common condition that happens during pregnancy. Even if you never had problems with high blood pressure, you can develop it during your pregnancy; that’s why it’s called gestational hypertension. And it’s more common to happen in cases of multiple gestations. Your health care provider has to monitor your blood pressure during your pregnancy because it can easily lead to even more complications.
Preeclampsia
Preeclampsia is a condition and a complication that can happen during pregnancy, and it’s connected to high blood pressure. Preeclampsia often affects and damages other organs like kidneys or liver.
Gestational Diabetes
Just like gestational hypertension, even if you never had problems with diabetes, you can develop it during your pregnancy. The increased number of hormones found in the placenta creates increased insulin resistance. That’s why it’s vital to talk about it with your health care provider and monitor your condition during pregnancy.
How Should You Behave During Multifetal Pregnancy?
Many women have questions regarding activity level during a twin or triplets’ pregnancy. Can you be active, do your exercise routine as usual, or do you need to change something?
We all are different, so is every woman and every pregnancy too. There isn’t a definitive answer that is good for all. The best way to know what you can do and what not is to talk to your health care provider.
However, normal activity levels and low-impact exercises are always recommended and desirable. It would help if you were healthy so that your babies could be healthy.
If you are used to high-impact cardio workouts and running, it would be best to pause those activities during your pregnancy. What you can do instead of it is prenatal yoga and swimming. Even walking every day can be great for your health and the health of your babies.
If you are experiencing any complications during your pregnancy, you need to consult with your health care provider before starting a workout routine, even just plain walking.
What Is the Delivery Practice When It Comes to Twin or Triplets’ Pregnancy
In multifetal pregnancies, babies are often not in the correct position for labor, so a Cesarean section is used. It’s a procedure of delivering a baby through a cut in the abdomen. Even if there are cases of natural births in these kinds of pregnancies, C-section is often the safest option. It can be used if there are no complications, especially when there are some complications.
Your obstetrician should monitor your pregnancy, and talk to you about it, and present to you the best and the safest options for delivery in your case.
We Are Always Here for You
We at Trogolo Obstetrics and Gynecology are here for you if you have any more questions about this topic that can sometimes be a little bit intimidating. Don’t hesitate to call us and book an appointment to discuss anything that concerns you.
