Expecting Twins? Here are several facts you should know about twin birth including its complications and solutions

Here are several facts you should know about twin birth including its complications and solutions and other facts about multiple pregnancies.

Having twins is such an overwhelming yet wonderful feeling!!!! 

Giving birth to two kids at the same time has certain advantages such as, you don't have to go into labor again, the babies would have each other and never be alone. But multiple pregnancies immediately increases the risks of complications during pregnancy.

But once you overcome and manage everything, you'll definitely be a blessed mom, just like the famous singer Beyonce who's expecting twins with husband Jay-Z.

Keeping the above facts in mind we've listed common complication future moms face during multiple pregnancies.

1. Preterm labor/ Premature birth:                                

Studies have shown that more than 60% of multiple pregnancies undergo preterm labor. The higher the number of fetuses, the greater the chance of early birth.

The major risk of early labor is the premature birth of the newborn. The premature babies are underdeveloped, small, and need special conditions to survive, i.e. keeping inside a mechanical ventilator also termed as Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

These babies are more prone to infections and diseases compared to normal ones hence it's one of the major complications during multiple pregnancies.

To prevent Preterm labor, its best to see your health practitioner regularly and get all the advice and routines for healthy eating, proper weight gain and other medications like folic acids, and other multivitamins for proper growth and development of the baby.

2. Twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome(TTTS)- 

TTTS is one of the potentially hazardous yet rare complications that affects twins. It's the condition in which the identical twins who are monochorionic (babies sharing the same placenta) share the blood connections together, increasing a risk where one baby gets too much blood from placenta while the other gets too little. 

This results in the donor baby with anemia while the recipient baby will have a higher volume of blood that would put much pressure on his heart. Symptoms of TTTS include tightness across your belly and sudden weight gain.

To prevent this condition, you must first get immediate care under a specialist consultant. Frequent ultrasound scans must be done to monitor the condition of the growing baby.

A good bed rest is recommended throughout your pregnancy and a healthy dietary plan and nutritional supplement must be taken. Under severe cases, a fetal surgery called fetoscopic laser coagulation is required for fetal treatment of this syndrome.

3. Hypertension (Preeclampsia)

If you're having twins then, you are at least three times more risk of developing preeclampsia. Pre-eclampsia is a complication related to high blood pressure and when you're having two babies, it puts extra strain on the placentas increasing the blood pressure.

The early signs of preeclampsia are increased blood pressure and high concentration of protein in the urine. Preeclampsia also increases the risk of placental abruption. 

Treatment of preeclampsia requires doctor's consent on when to deliver the baby as it's the only treatment option. Also, you doctor may advise you to take a low dose of aspirin each day from 12 weeks if you're:

-40 or over

-it's your first pregnancy

-your BMI is 35

-more than 10 years since last pregnancy

4. Gestational diabetes:

It's another one of the common complications during multiple pregnancies. Normally, when we become pregnant, our body naturally resist insulin to provide more glucose to the growing baby and when you're pregnant with twins the risk of developing gestational diabetes increases by 50%.

To prevent this condition, you have to keep your blood sugar levels under control with healthy eating habits and exercise. Or you can take medications and insulin shots to control diabetes.

5. Miscarriage: 

When you've two buns in the oven it's unlikely that one won't cook, but in the case of twin pregnancy, miscarriage is one of the common complications that is likely to occur.

It's also termed as Vanishing Twin Syndrome where a twin disappears in the uterus during pregnancy as a result of the miscarriage. The vanishing fetal tissue is absorbed by either the placenta or the other twin, causing it to vanish.

The condition occurs during the first trimester and it's detectable by ultrasounds. The cause of this syndrome still remains a mystery and researchers suggest that it's due to chromosomal abnormalities in the vanishing twin. 

The condition is less harmful during the first trimester but if the twin dies in the second trimester, it increasing the risk for the surviving fetus causing cerebral palsy and other complication during the delivery. 

Symptoms o a miscarriage include bleeding, pelvic pain, and uterine cramps. There's no specific treatment for this syndrome. Women if experience bleeding or cramping, should seek medical care.

For more information about pregnancy, see: What is Psychiatric Disorder? Learn about its Effects, Symptoms, and Remedies during your pregnancy