How Do You Know If You Have Twins
If you know or suspect you are pregnant, learning that you are carrying two or more babies comes as a wonderful surprise and a potential shock. One of the most common ways to determine if you are carrying twins is to have an ultrasound. As your pregnancy progresses, you might notice certain signs and symptoms that could indicate you are carrying twins.
Signs and Symptoms of Twin Pregnancy
- Extreme Fatigue – When you are pregnant your body is already working harder to nourish and develop the baby, but this is elevated when you are carrying more than one baby. The constant production of hormones, increased blood supply and extra stress on your organs can leave you feeling exhausted and drained.
- Weight Gain and Abdominal Growth – Gaining weight and beginning to show earlier than normal could be a sign of having twins! As you carry more than one baby, you may notice your abdomen growing more quickly and becoming larger sooner.
- Increased Appetite – Twins require more calories and nutrition to nourish and develop comfortably, leaving you with a severely increased appetite.
- Frequent Urination – With a larger uterus and an increased amount of pressure on your bladder, you may need to relieve yourself more often.
- Feeling Movement Earlier – Another way you may be able to tell right away that you are having twins is feeling movement earlier. For example, you may begin to feel the baby kicking at thirteen weeks instead of the standard twenty weeks.
Diagnosing Twins Pregnancy
Your health care provider might suspect twins early on in your pregnancy if your uterus seems larger than expected for the gestational. Other signs include a large amount of amniotic fluid, certain pregnancy hormones and an unusually high fetal heart rate.
If your doctor suspects twins, an ultrasound is usually the best way to confirm the diagnosis. Ultrasound is usually performed between 18-20 weeks and can determine the position of the placenta, the number of amniotic sacs and the size of the baby.
Risks of Carrying Twins
In general, twin pregnancies are considered to be higher risk than singleton pregnancies. This is mainly due to the extra demands on your body of carrying more than one baby. Possible risks include prematurity, gestational diabetes, hypertension, preeclampsia, cesarean section, placenta previa and placental abruption.
Conclusion
Most parents find out they are carrying twins within the first trimester via ultrasound. You may also experience certain signs and symptoms that are specific to a twin pregnancy. It is important to understand the possible risks associated with carrying more than one baby as well. Have regular checkups with your health care provider and talk to them if you experience any symptoms that concern you.
Welcome to my fertility blog. This is a space where I will be sharing my experiences as I navigate through the world of fertility treatments, as well as provide information and resources about fertility and pregnancy.
