Tips To Manage A Twin Pregnancy

Are you pregnant and expecting twins? Double bundle of joy! Isn’t it? But unlike a single child delivery, twin delivery is tough. Extra care and monitoring is required. In this regard, it is important to give extra nutrition to your body. This article talks in detail about how you can manage twin pregnancy as it comes with double responsibility. Unlike single pregnancies, twin pregnancy requires extra care and extreme precautions. Expectant mothers of twins need sufficient nutrients in order to give healthy growth to the babies. Since a twin delivery takes place early, you should make plans with your doctor in advance. Look into the health facilities available at the hospital and also check, if they have prenatal health care. Pregnancy always elevates the joy of an expectant mother. Double the joy, double the care!

Things to keep a tab on:

1. Frequent number of visits to the obstetrician

Your doctor may call you often for ultrasounds and pregnancy related tests. The doctor needs to keep a track of the progress and development patterns. 

2. Boost in nutrition

Mothers with two babies need to take extra dosage of nutrition. Their diet should primarily include folic acid, protein, iron, calcium and other essential supplements. In case, you are already following a twin pregnancy based diet then continue it. Add prenatal vitamin in your intake as pregnant women with twins are more prone to anemia. Extra iron is required for both the fetuses. 

3. More rest

Twin or multiple pregnancies requires a lot of rest and the expectant mothers may be asked to rest at home or at the hospital depending upon the urgency or presence of complications. Most of the times, bed rest is required right from the middle of the second trimester.

4. Early delivery 

Single delivery needs 39 weeks while twin needs 37. If your body starts showcasing preterm labour then the doctor may inject the expectant mother with steroids for growing the lungs of the babies. In premature delivery, lung immaturity is a problem.  

5. C-section delivery

Delivery in case of twins is mostly through C section. Vaginal delivery is also possible but it depends on the position of the first baby. 

6.High blood pressure

There are a lot of chances for the expectant mothers to have high blood pressure. When the hypertension combines with protein in the urine, it causes preeclampsia. This happens either before 20 weeks or after the 37th week. There are chances that you may develop preeclampsia in the second half part of pregnancy. It is important to take extra care and timely detect any kind of complication. 

Types of twins

1. Fraternal or non-identical twins

Non-identical or fraternal twins are born in a situation when two separate sperms fertilize two different eggs and then implant in the womb simultaneously. These twins may or may not have same sex and they are just like any two siblings.

2. Identical twins

Identical twins take birth when the same egg fertilizes and gets divided into two. This creates the same genes. Thus, identical twins mostly have same sex and most of the times, they look alike.