15 Symptoms of Twin Pregnancy- Get The Expert Tips Now!
Pregnant women often seem to be anxious about whether they are having a twin pregnancy. Read further for 15 symptoms of twin pregnancy! Ultrasound is one of the confirmed ways to find out about multiple pregnancies. Women having multiple pregnancies experience similar symptoms to those with a singleton pregnancy. So, it’s tricky to find out about twin pregnancy. You can though notice some signs and symptoms of twin symptoms. We are here to provide you with all the symptoms of twin pregnancy.
15 Symptoms of Twin Pregnancy
Nowadays many women are opting for fertility assistance methods like IUI, IVF, ICSI, etc. This type of technique increases the probability of carrying more than one baby. But in such cases, the doctors will be continuously monitoring you. This helps to find multiple pregnancies at a much earlier stage of treatment.
Chances are more likely if –
- The woman is taller than the average height ratio.
- A woman is more than 30 years old since the body will start producing more follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). This causes more than one egg to release from the ovary. This will increase the chances of twin pregnancy.
- The woman is close to her menopause phase.
- Body Mass Index is on the higher side.
- You have a family history of twins because genetics is important.
- If you’ve conceived with the assistance of fertility techniques such as IVF.
Twin Pregnancy Symptoms
Twin pregnancy isn’t easy to make out. You can have certain signs in such a type of pregnancy. These pregnancy symptoms are rapid weight gain, severe morning sickness, intense fatigue, etc. You can find twin pregnancy symptoms as a clue before your doctor’s confirmation.
What is the right way to confirm twin pregnancy?
You can’t be 100% sure about twin pregnancy. Your gynecologist is going to confirm.
- Ultrasound, can define two embryos clearly.
- Hearing separate heartbeats on a specialized instrument such as Doppler.
Before the gynecologist decides to go for an ultrasound there are some twin pregnancy symptoms and signs that you can look out for: Let’s start to elaborate on them one by one.
15 Symptoms of Twin Pregnancy
Visible Symptoms
These are visible symptoms among the 15 symptoms of twin pregnancy.
Increase in Weight
The weight of pregnant women increases more since two babies are developing inside. Apart from the baby’s weight, it’s also the extra blood volume, amniotic fluid, and excess tissue formation to support the growth of two babies. The usual weight gain throughout pregnancy is usually 12-16 kilograms. But with twins, it will be in the range of 15-20 kilograms.
You can also check- The pregnancy Weight Gain calculator
Bigger Belly Bump
In a twin pregnancy, the uterus will expand more than in women carrying singleton pregnancies. A bigger bump is normally the most obvious twin pregnancy symptom. But sometimes there can be other reasons, such as wrong calculation of dates, the presence of fibroids in the uterus, or an extra amount of amniotic fluid.
Extreme symptoms of Nausea and morning sickness
Pregnant women with twins experience more symptoms of morning sickness than others. Some women report the symptoms to be so severe that often they need to be admitted to the hospital with special diet plans.
Frequent Urination
Frequent urination is a crucial sign among the 15 symptoms of twin pregnancy. This is another common symptom during pregnancy. But the volume of urinating will be much more in case of twin pregnancy. It happens because the enlarged uterus exerts pressure on the urinary bladder. However, that does not mean that you should lower your intake of fluids.
Enlarged Veins
It is one of the 15 symptoms of twin pregnancy. The increase in blood flow exerts pressure on the veins which may lead to varicose veins. This can happen generally on the legs. Also, a significant push or jolts by the baby within the uterus can lead to the enlargement of veins near the vagina which causes compression of body parts in the pelvic area.
Feelings
Extreme Fatigue
All pregnant women experience tiredness and fatigue during the first three months of getting pregnant. One of the twin pregnancy symptoms is elevated levels of tiredness. So, it’s essential to take bed rest. You know that two babies are to be nourished. Hence, taking sufficient food and good sleep is important to keep strong.
Cramps
An abdominal cramp is an early sign of twin pregnancy. Here ligaments get stretched and the uterus enlarges. Don’t worry as this is completely normal. It’s an indication of implantation inside the uterus. As long as you don’t experience any bleeding along with it, you are safe.
Insomnia
You’ll experience insomnia due to cramps, fatigue, etc. Try to sleep and take as much rest as possible. Invest in a comfortable pregnancy pillow that helps you to sleep comfortably. Add a lot of cushions to provide support to your body.
Intuition
Many women have an intuition of carrying multiples. There’s no science behind this. Some women report dreaming, sensing, or having a strong belief that they are pregnant with twins. Even when no other symptoms are present many women have a premonition that they’re carrying twins.
Early Fetal Movements
Generally, in the case of a normal singleton pregnancy, women report very quick fetal movements. This happens generally from 18-22 weeks. But those with twin baby pregnancies will start experiencing this from the 16th week onwards. Because there’s very less room for babies inside the uterus to move around.
Increased Hunger Pangs
Growing a baby is a tough job and holds in case of a twin-baby pregnancy. Generally, moms are unaware that they are having twins during the first trimester. So they don’t eat enough and constantly feel hungry. Eat a healthy, nutritious, and balanced diet to support the growth of two babies.
Other Symptoms
Results of Home Pregnancy Test
The HCG hormone or the Human Chorionic Gonadotropin hormone gets detected during home pregnancy tests. Pregnant women see a faint color line in the Test section. But with twins even if you take the pregnancy test on the very first day of your missed period, you will see the dark, well-defined line. This is because there will be the presence of HCG hormone on a higher level.
Fundal Height
It is measured from the top of the pubic bone to the top of the uterus. This measures the number of weeks that you have progressed in pregnancy. If the weekly measurement is more than one week, then probably you have twins inside your pregnant belly. However, it’s also believed that the second pregnancy starts showing sooner than the first one. Even if the woman is very slim she will start showing it sooner than heavy or healthy women. Though the other possible reasons can be the presence of –
- Fibroids in the uterus
- Extra amount of amniotic fluid
- Wrong date calculations
High AFP Test Results
Another early pregnancy screening blood test to be done is an AFP test or Alpha Fetoprotein Test. It’s done to examine the amount of protein secreted by the fetal liver. In twins baby pregnancy the amount of AFP will double up. However, it’s also possible during genetic or neural tube defects.
Doppler Heartbeat Count
Doctors will detect the fetal heartbeat using a Doppler heartbeat count at the end of the first trimester. In a twin-baby pregnancy, two heartbeats are audible. However, ultrasound is a better confirmatory test than Doppler. Since this method has a few shortcomings. Many times multiple heartbeats are mistaken for a mother’s heartbeat or any noise in the background.
Complications
Furthermore, complications in a twin pregnancy can’t be ruled out just like in the case of normal pregnancy. Frequent checkups are necessary. Additional appointments and scans are done assures that everything is on the right track. Doctors may recommend you get some more tests to check any preeclampsia possibilities. A blood test while you are on your 24th and 28th week is advised to check hemoglobin levels.
Twins baby pregnancy can be complicated due to –
- The contractions in the uterus can get early labor pain. This happens because the cervix dilates sooner. So, the chances of premature birth are higher.
- Shortage of iron in your diet can take a toll on your health. Iron binds the oxygen to the blood. But due to the high demand for blood and oxygen sometimes there is a shortage of iron in women carrying more than one baby. Regularly take the iron supplements prescribed by your doctor.
- Preeclampsia is a disorder. In this women experience high blood pressure. The possibility of this symptom in a twin pregnancy is two to three times higher than in single pregnancy.
- Gestational diabetes is responsible to cause severe complications in the babies and mother. This is a result of increased hormonal levels of both the placenta, the higher size of two placentae, and higher resistance to insulin by the placenta. You can treat it by changing the diet plans and also closely observing the insulin levels.
Talk with other women who already have gone through twin pregnancies. You’ll get some tips and experiences. This enables you to think in the correct direction. These days trained doctors and advanced technology is a boon. So, don’t be in stress. Enjoy this phase and be ready to welcome your two little chipmunks.
