The twin birth

Times have changed. Women conceive their first child between the ages of 26 and 34 and this leads to an increase in the average age which leads to infertility problems and for this reason more and more people resort to ovulation stimulation or IVF and ICSI ( in vitro fertilization with embryo transfer into the uterus). So don’t be surprised if you see so many double prams in the park.

A twin birth occurs because two embryos that have been fertilized together arrive in the uterus and often share space, may or may not share the placenta, and may be of the same or different sexes. Or it is possible that only one egg is fertilized and from this two embryos are formed, from which two identical children develop. They will have a single placenta. The uterus is a wonderful place because it knows how to welcome not only one fetus, but several fetuses together, adapting perfectly to their needs.

A twin pregnancy can therefore be experienced by the mother with great serenity, being accompanied by a trusted midwife or gynecologist on this journey and together, for example, we will go to adapt diet or lifestyle.

On Fertile Period you can read all the stories of Mamma Paola , mother of the twins Davide and Giulia.

• Intensification of ultrasound checks to assess whether children’s development is linear and correct.
• Multiple meetings with your gynecologist or midwife to assess maternal and fetal well-being. To evaluate if there are any changes in the neck of the uterus and thus avoid a preterm birth.
• Evaluation of mother’s nutrition.

During the months of gestation, the Woman, as in a single pregnancy, must respect the round and slow times of her being pregnant. She can happily do activities like yoga , working on breathing, stretching movements, perineum or she can go swimming in a pool. The weight of the belly further aggravates the back and these activities can be beneficial.

The twin birth

At the time of delivery, it is the woman who decides what she wants and therefore whether to proceed naturally or to intervene with a caesarean section if necessary.
Twin births need continuous monitoring of the fetal heart rate because there is a possibility that one of the twins may have signs of fetal distress.

In single birth, on the other hand, monitoring is not carried out continuously. Also some hospitals prefer to have an ultrasound in the delivery room to check the position of the second twin once the first is born. Because when the first twin is born, the second finds himself having a lot of space and can change her position by placing himself transversally and it is an unsuitable position for vaginal birth.

Twin labor is faster than a single one as the mass that presses on the neck of the uterus is greater and this speeds up the procedure.
Once the second child is born, we have to wait for the aftermath, i.e. the expulsion of the placenta.

What are the problems associated with a twin birth?

• Low weight : more than 50% of twins weigh less than 2500 grams and the causes can be premature birth or premature rupture of the membranes.
• Prematurity : when the birth takes place before the 37th week.
• Weight difference : one twin compared to the other can have a different weight of 5%.

What happens to a woman during a twin pregnancy?

• Increases the venous circulation and can easily suffer from hypertension or gestosis. Nutrition helps a lot this risk and reduces it. It is enough for women to increase the amount of fruit and vegetables, reduce proteins, sugars and refined carbohydrates. It is important to do light physical activity.
• Increased progesterone and uterus weight can lead to constipation. By drinking a lot and doing physical activity you can ease this problem.
• The mother’s tendency to gain weight increases but only due to false popular belief as even with a pair of twins you only need to add an extra 20% to the weight of a single pregnancy, so you shouldn’t eat for 3 !

First quarter

Symptoms: nausea, fatigue, frequent urination, breast tenderness are common to a singleton pregnancy. However, by rapidly increasing the volume of the uterus, the woman by herself may have the doubt that it is a twin pregnancy. The development of the embryos is the same as in singleton pregnancy. An ultrasound performed at the end of the third month will let you find out what type of twin pregnancy it is, i.e. whether it is dizygotic or monozygotic.

Second quarter

In this period constipation and drops in blood pressure are present. Check the weight gain and abdominal volume to avoid problems with hypertension or polyhydramnios . Remember to carry out blood glucose tests for the risk of gestational diabetes. In twin pregnancies it is possible that between the 26th and 32nd week of gestation there is a risk of premature birth. Avoid stress, rest and if you have contractions call your obstetrician or gynecologist.

Third quarter

This is a very delicate and very important moment. There is a risk of premature birth, the mother should eat light meals, rest a lot and keep her blood pressure under control. Having reached the 37th week of pregnancy, the position of the fetuses is checked and the happy event is expected if a spontaneous birth is not performed.

In short, the twin pregnancy is a wonderful event, and all the emotions will be amplified .
Take courage, face the fears and small obstacles that may arise and always stay in communication with your children in the womb and draw strength from them.