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I Think I Might Be Pregnant With Twins

twins, baby twins, twin babies

If you know you are pregnant but are suspecting you are pregnant with twins, here is a list of possible signs and explanations for why you may be carrying multiples.



1) Your doctor notices your uterus is large compared to what is normal for however many weeks you are. (If you are only several weeks along and your uterus feels larger, maybe your dates are wrong. If you know your dates and you are as far along as you say, there may either be a nice big baby, or several!!!)


2) You used fertility drugs to get pregnant (this greatly increases your chances of being pregnant with twins).


3) You conceived via in vitro fertilization (doctors typically use several eggs to increase your chances of keeping the pregnancy).


4) Your pregnancy symptoms are extreme or exaggerated (morning sickness, backache, moodiness, hunger, etc.).


5) At your doctor visit more than one heartbeat was detected (twins typically aren’t diagnosed this way because it could be one baby but the heartbeat is being detected in several locations. An ultrasound would be needed to verify.)


6) Hereditary (if someone in your family has had twins you have a greater chance of becoming pregnant with twins than someone who doesn’t have it in their family.)

 

Looking for a guide to survive TWINS??!!!??  This book, Twins Survival Guide gives you tips for not only surviving their delivery, but also once you get them home!  The guide that takes you from the NICU to sibling rivalry and back again!

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Twins and In Vitro Fertilization

in vitro fertilization

Twins are becoming more and more common among women in the United States. 1 in every 41 parents will be expecting twins or triplets (or more) as compared to 1 in every 100 several generations ago. This is because science has progressed and is now allowing women who years ago would have remained infertile, to now get pregnant and have a healthy family of their own. This is because of the use of fertility treatments and in vitro fertilization. According to the Random House Unabridged Dictionary in vitro fertilization is a specialized technique by which an ovum, esp. a human one, is fertilized by sperm outside the body, with the resulting embryo later implanted in the uterus for gestation.

The Different Types of Twins

There are 2 different types of twins, and the differences occur just moments after conception.

Fraternal twins- are the result of 2 eggs being fertilized at the same time. The babies have their own placenta.

Identical twins- are the result of one egg being fertilized by one sperm, but for some reason after being fertilized, splits and forms 2 babies. Babies may have their own placenta or depending how the egg splits, may share a placenta.

Risks Associated With Being Pregnant With Twins

Being pregnant with twins or multiples puts you into the high risk category, and your doctor will monitor you and your babies more carefully than he or she would a woman carrying only one baby. Typically your doctor will want to see you every other week after week 20 and weekly by 30 weeks. This is true because typically women expecting twins will go into labor early. Full term for twins is actually 37 weeks, instead of 40 weeks for one baby.

Having multiples also puts you into a higher risk category for having a cesarean section because twin babies are usually quite a bit smaller than singleton babies, and doctors try to minimize the risk of trauma via vaginal deliveries. Cesareans are also more common because one or both of your babies may be breach. For more info on cesarean deliveries click here.

 My husband has always wanted twins, and his sisters are twins, does that increase our risk of conceiving more than one baby?
Unfortunately NO.  Conceiving multiples is inherited from the woman's side, and is not in any way effected by the mans sperm.  You can however increase your chances if you are over 35, or are using in vitro fertilization as your way of conceiving.

I just started doing in vitro, which is so expensive...is there anything I can do to ensure I stay pregnant, or better yet with multiples?
Besides eating right and taking it easy for the first few weeks of your pregnancy there really isn't much else you can do to ensure you will have twins or more! However, according to HealthDay News, "Increasing folic acid intake also increases the chances of twins for women undergoing in vitro fertility treatments", they say it doesn't help women to get pregnant, but can allow women who use in vitro, to have multiple babies.

***Being pregnant with twins is such a blessing. Many women would kill for the opportunity to get their entire family over and done with in one single pregnancy! Twins can also be a stress, not only once they are here but during the pregnancy as well as the delivery. This book, "TWINS, the Survival Guide!" gives you an indepth look at how to survive twins! It will show you:

*How to be prepared when they arrive

*What to expect in the NICU

*How to get help

*Making the most of sleep, and how to get it!

*Play time

*Sibling rivarly

*Post partum

*and much more!

To order your copy of "TWINS, the Survival Guide!" click here!


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