If more than one egg fertilizes and grows in the uterus, it can result in multiple pregnancies. In numerous pregnancies, similar-looking boys, girls or both boys and girls are born, known as fraternal twinning. The babies have different amniotic sac and placenta.
However, in the case of identical twins, the egg fertilizes and breaks into two to produce either a male or female child. These identical twins have a different amniotic sac but may not share a single placenta. In some cases, they share a single amniotic sac. These children may look similar but have different personalities and are different from each other.
You can control and manage complications relating to multiple pregnancies if the following points are taken care of:
The delivery of multiple babies can depend on the following:
There will be no problem in delivery if both the fetus has their head down; in this case, standard vaginal delivery is possible. But if both are upside down and facing oppositely, then deliver the first through the vagina. The second one either has to be moved in the vertex position or delivered through the buttocks. In this opposite direction case, complications may increase, leading to performing an emergency cesarean or C-section. Most multiple deliveries is through C-section. C-section is advisable in complications like fetal distress, specific health problems in the mother, and the fetus’s abnormal position.
Each woman indicates different signs. However, most commons are:
There may be some symptoms that can indicate that you are carrying a twin:
There can be a lot of factors that can cause multiple pregnancies. Some are as follows:
Multiple complications can occur in delivering a twin or higher standard of pregnancy:
Twin pregnancy is risky for both the mother and the baby. There are many threats to the mother while carrying a twin or a triplet. These threats include hypertension, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, premature labor, hyperemesis gravidarum, C-section, and many others. While some risks are just slight complications, some can cause real danger like fetal death. These can be life-threatening to both mother and the baby.
The risk that is involved with the baby is the threat of getting vanished. In other words, one of the babies has the chance of getting miscarried. Twins also can carry intrauterine growth discordance in which one twin cannot grow correctly like the other. Twin birth can result in underweight infants or the babies getting jaundice.
1. Twin pregnancy
When one single embryo divides into two, it forms identical twins. This type of pregnancy carries a lower risk than identical twins. Each embryo carries the same genetics, thus has the same DNA. The same DNA means the twins will have the same characteristics but different personalities. They have the same placenta and amniotic sacs, but sometimes they have separate placenta and amniotic sacs.
There is another type of twin who is conceived by different eggs. They may or may not be of the same gender. They share a uterus but have a different placenta and amniotic sacs. This type of twins is called fraternal twins.
2. Triplet pregnancy
Triplets can be a fusion of both fraternal and identical twins. Formation of triplets takes place from three separate fertilized eggs, or they can be identical, like formed from a single fertilized egg that breaks into three, or a fusion of both the condition.
You may perform the following diagnosis in the case of multiple pregnancies to avoid any complications at the time of delivery:
An excellent option to avoid multiple pregnancies is to prevent some infertility conditions. If you do not implant multiple embryos in the uterus walls for taking precautions, you can avoid numerous births.
A woman suffering from enlarged ovarian follicles or a high level of hormones has a risk of multiple pregnancies. So take steps to prevent fertilization of an egg with more than three follicles can help reduce the chance of high-order pregnancies.
You can perform Multifetal pregnancy reduction in case of triplets or high-order pregnancy for a healthy delivery. But the treatment comes with a risk of complete miscarriage. It can also reduce the chance of premature birth.