The first signs of twins in the early stages and features of the course of pregnancy

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

As a rule, multiple pregnancies are observed in those who have undergone the procedure of artificial insemination (IVF), or the lucky ones who already had twins or triplets in their family. If you so much dreamed of twins or triplets, and at least one of these factors is taken into account, then you want to know about this event as soon as possible. It is for this reason that today we will look at the signs of twins in early pregnancy.

The doctor will be able to please you with this news only after an ultrasound examination, and then not the first, but already in the second trimester of pregnancy. But in this situation, special medical supervision is needed.

And so, what is a multiple pregnancy and what signs of pregnancy with twins can a future mother notice at an early stage? This is the bearing of two, three, four or more babies in the womb. Let's immediately note the statistics: in Europe, the level of multiple pregnancy has now increased to 1% underIVF influence. Currently, 1 out of 89 pregnancies is multiple.

Early signs

To begin with, in this section we will list the conditions that increase the chances of multiple babies being born at once. These include:

1. Age from 35 years (this is a scientifically proven fact, the thing is that with age there is an increase in the hormonal background responsible for the maturation of eggs).
2. Genetic factor (if there have already been such cases in the family, then the chance of becoming a happy mother of several babies at once increases).
3. Failure of the ovaries (about once in 200 menstrual cycles a failure occurs - the maturation of 2 eggs at once).
4. In vitro fertilization (for a greater likelihood of a successful outcome of the procedure, several fertilized eggs are implanted in a woman at once).
5. Stimulation with the help of certain drugs (they enhance the work of the ovaries, and the formation and maturation of 2 eggs at once occurs).
6. Refusal of OK - oral contraceptives (when taken, a hormonal background is created, as during pregnancy and the ovaries rest, and refusal to take contributes to the increased work of this organ).
7. Family with many children (the more children a woman gives birth to, the greater the chance of giving birth to twins).
8. Men in the Middle East and Africa are more likely to "make" twins (ethnicity).
9. A 21-day menstrual cycle favors multiple pregnancies.
10. Bicornuate uterus(this pathology of the organ leads to the formation of two eggs at once).

The classic version of pregnancy is the bearing of 1 fetus. But the bearing of several children creates an additional burden on the body of a woman. For this reason, every expectant mother should know the signs of twins in the early stages. These include the following:

• genetics (note that rebirth of twins or triplets is possible in a generation);
• on a test done by women at home, the second line will be very clear and thick, indicating a high level of hCG;
• very severe sleepiness;
• severe toxicosis;
• may develop acne, which becomes possible due to the large amount of hormone production;
• rapid belly growth;
• early and active movements.

Medical confirmation of multiple pregnancy

The above signs of twins, which the mother herself can note even before a visit to the gynecologist, are not always easily tolerated by a woman. If you notice these signs, then notify your doctor about it.

Here are the signs that a gynecologist may notice in a multiple pregnancy:

• horizontal furrow separating babies;
• deepening of the uterine fundus;
• detection of 4 large parts on palpation of the abdomen (two heads and two pelvises);
• Ultrasound at 12 weeks pregnant;
• phonoelectrocardiography (there is a beating of two hearts at once);
• when listening is notedheartbeat in different places;
• AFP test in the second trimester of pregnancy is not just positive, but rather high (test for the detection of abnormal fetal phenomena).

Fatigue

Above, we identified a number of signs of twins in the early stages that the expectant mother herself can detect, now let's talk about them in more detail. Let's start with increased fatigue. It is important to note that expectant mothers of twins, triplets, and so on literally sleep on the go (sitting, standing, lying down). This can be noticed even at the stage when they do not even know about their pregnancy (that is, from the first day of fertilization).

During pregnancy, lethargy, fatigue and drowsiness, especially in the first trimester, are normal, but with multiple pregnancies, they literally double.

If a woman is already expecting more than her first child, she will easily feel the difference, but a primiparous woman does not always understand her condition. How easy is it to recognize twins by this sign? If you have a pregnant girlfriend, fatigue is visible on her, but she still flutters, enjoys life and so on, and for you to get to work is a real feat, then most likely you are expecting twins. However, it is worth excluding many more factors that contribute to severe fatigue:

• stress;
• bad food;
• heavy workload and so on.

Morning sickness

Another sign of twins is morning sickness. Please note that this will not necessarily be severe nausea or vomiting with a vengeance, it may just be a breakdown that passes by the middle of the day.

As for toxicosis, it is worth remembering that each organism is individual. Some happy mothers of twins and triplets felt just great during pregnancy. And those who are expecting one baby may experience very strong discomfort due to severe toxicosis. If you feel great - this is not yet an indicator that you are carrying only one baby in the womb.

Do not forget about women's intuition, which is greatly aggravated during pregnancy. The expectant mother can feel for herself how many children she has and what gender they are.

Movement

Another sign of twin pregnancy is early movement. As a rule, the mother first feels how her baby moves only at the nineteenth week. If you are in your second or more pregnancies, you may experience tremors as early as the sixteenth week.

Often, women who are expecting two or more children experience earlier and more intense movements. In addition, with multiple pregnancies, there is a discrepancy between the size of the uterus and the delay in menstruation. Already at a later date, the doctor, by palpation and listening to the tummy, will be able to determine the number of babies. Pay attention to the fact that movements during multiple pregnancy do not differ at all from those that mothers feel when carrying one baby.

hcg

When you do a pregnancy test, it is human chorionic gonadotropin that alerts you to an "interesting" situation. After you have become registered with a gynecologist (starting from the tenth day from the day of fertilization), the doctor constantly monitors the level of this hormone throughout pregnancy. One of the most common signs of twins is high hCG levels.

In addition, mothers who are expecting twins gain about five kilograms more in weight than women pregnant with one baby. However, note that this is not the only factor influencing weight gain. Pay attention to your diet, in this position it is better not to overeat. Eat less, but more often, and be sure to watch your diet, because now the well-being of the baby also depends on it.

Gestational age

Another sign of twins in early pregnancy is a high gestational age. What it is? When you visit your gynecologist, he will definitely measure the distance between the top of the uterus and the top of the pubis. This is necessary to determine the gestational age of the baby.

If you have a multiple pregnancy, then the uterus expands more, therefore, the rate increases. But, it is worth remembering that this is not the only reason for this phenomenon. That's why it's important to visit your doctor regularly.

AFP

How else can you recognize a multiple pregnancy without an ultrasound? Signs of twins we examinedthere is a lot in the article, but the AFP test went unnoticed. It is done to detect birth defects in a child. Do not be alarmed if the result is high enough or positive, this often happens with multiple pregnancies. An ultrasound is required to confirm the result.

Please note that twins are not always visible on the first ultrasound. Although there were many cases when multiple pregnancy was detected as early as the sixth week. At week 22, it is already more likely that the doctor will find several babies on an ultrasound scan. A mistake at this time only happens if the mother is expecting five or more children.

Risks of multiple pregnancies

We examined in detail the first signs of twins that a mother can notice herself without consulting specialists. Now let's move on to the question of why, especially with multiple pregnancies, it is imperative to visit your doctor regularly?

Risks directly depend on the connection between the membranes, placenta and twins. Every third multiple pregnancy is monochorionic (babies share one placenta). Among them:

• more than 30% - dichorionic-diamniotic (two umbilical cords, a thick partition between babies);
• more than 60% - monochorionic-diamniotic (thin septum);
• 2% - monochorionic-monoamniotic (common amniotic sac and placenta).

In the first case, the risks are minimal if the first child has a cephalic presentation. This case does not require special medical supervision. AtMonochorionic-diamniotic pregnancy with twins has a chance of developing feto-fetal transfusion syndrome. Mom is recommended to undergo control examinations twice a month. The most difficult and dangerous case is the third one. Here, babies run the risk of growing together with body parts (Siamese twins) or intertwining umbilical cords. Ultrasound examinations are needed frequently, and a caesarean section is necessary for delivery.

Features of pregnancy

If you listen to the recommendations given by the attending physician, then you will spend this time no less happy than women who are expecting one child. Since during a multiple pregnancy, a double load immediately falls on the mother's body, the doctors give you more attention.

When you are expecting two or more babies, there is a high chance of miscarriage or premature rupture of amniotic fluid. This is especially true in recent months. Do not overexert yourself, do not do heavy physical work. For some, bed rest or hospitalization is recommended.

As a rule, twins are born earlier (at 36 or 38 weeks). Their weight is less than that of other children, however, they are distinguished by an increased ability to adapt. The weight and circumference of the abdomen will be slightly larger than for women expecting one child.

Be sure to watch your diet, consult your doctor about taking vitamins and mineral complexes. With multiple pregnancies, the body can quickly exhaust its reserves.