More Than One Baby
Mothers who are pregnant with more than one baby need special care.
Causes
Having more than one baby may happen more often if:
- There is a family history.
- The mother is taking medicine or having treatment to get pregnant.
- She is an older mother.
The most common cause is when two or more eggs are fertilized by two or more sperm. These babies can be either boys or girls. They may or may not look alike. They are called fraternal twins or triplets, etc.
Less common is when an egg is fertilized by a sperm as usual. Then, for some reason, the egg splits apart. Two or more babies grow. They are the same sex. Their hair, eyes, and skin will be the same color. They are called identical twins or triplets, etc.
In rare cases, the egg doesn’t split apart all the way. The twins stay joined together at the head or back. Or they may be joined at some other part of the body. They are called conjoined twins. Sometimes surgery can separate them after they are born. This can be very risky.
Signs
At first, a woman may not know she is carrying more than one baby. Her health care provider can usually tell within 8 weeks. Signs include:
- Severe nausea and vomiting
- The uterus is growing faster than usual.
- There are two or more heartbeats.
- An ultrasound picture of the uterus shows more than one baby.
Risks
The health care provider watches for risks that come with carrying more than one baby.
- Low iron and oxygen in mother’s blood.
- Less and less blood flows to the baby.
- High blood pressure and preeclampsia.
- Gestational diabetes.
- Difficult labor.
- Preterm labor and preterm birth. Preterm birth happens 3 weeks or more before the due date.
- Low birth weights. A low birth weight is less than 5-1/2 pounds.
Some mothers can have a vaginal birth with more than one baby. Others may need a Cesarean section (C-section) for a safe delivery.
- Fainting. Racing heart. Severe headache, feeling dizzy, blurred or double vision. Extreme swelling of the face, hands, ankles, or feet.
- Pain in the upper right part of your abdomen.
- Rapid weight gain (more than 3 pounds a week in the 2nd trimester or more than 2 pounds a week in the 3rd trimester).