Most twins are born healthy. A
Women with twin pregnancies are more likely to have pregnancy health problems and complications like gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia, premature labour and bleeding. Twins who share a placenta might have extra complications.
Multiples are about twice as likely as singleton babies to have birth defects, including neural tube defects (such as spina bifida), cerebral palsy, congenital heart defects and birth defects that affect the digestive system. Growth problems. Multiples are usually smaller than singleton babies.
Risk of Prematurity
Just 40% of twin pregnancies go full term.
Compared with other mothers, women who deliver twins live longer, have more children than expected, bear babies at shorter intervals over a longer time, and are older at their last birth, according to a University of Utah study.
Being a twin may add a few extra years to your life, a new study suggests. Researchers found that identical twins in Denmark tended to live longer than fraternal twins in that country, while both types of twins typically outlived men and women in Denmark who were not twins.
This is why fraternal twins run in families. However, only women ovulate. So, the mother's genes control this and the fathers don't. This is why having a background of twins in the family matters only if it is on the mother's side.
Being pregnant with multiples doesn't necessarily mean that your pregnancy will be problematic. However, women carrying multiples do have a higher chance of developing complications such as high blood pressure and preterm labor. For this reason, all multiple pregnancies are considered high-risk.
One placenta and one amniotic sac.
This is the riskiest and rarest type of twin pregnancy. Fetal complications can arise due to tangling of the umbilical cords or an imbalance in nutrients, blood or other vital life supporting systems.
Twins not only have a bestie from birth — they also live longer than singletons. And those two factors may be related, according to new University of Washington research.
Babies who are multiples have about twice the risk of birth defects than singleton babies, including neural tube defects such as spina bifida and heart and gastrointestinal abnormalities. Cerebral palsy. Twin babies are more than four times as likely than single babies to have cerebral palsy.
Whether it be due to shorter gestation, premature birth, or maternal health issues, twins are at a higher risk of being born with Special Needs (SPNs).
That's why full-term for twins is considered 38 weeks, not the typical 40 weeks. Preterm birth — delivery before 37 weeks of pregnancy — is the most common complication when you're pregnant with multiples. About 50 percent of twins are born early. Twin delivery, on average, occurs around 35 to 36 weeks.
36 weeks for identical twins sharing a placenta. 35 weeks for an uncomplicated triplet pregnancy. 32-33 weeks for MCMA twins.
“Having twins is not twice as hard—it's exponentially more difficult,” says Natalie Diaz, author of What To Do When You're Having Two and CEO of Twiniversity, a global support network for parents of twins.
These standard charts may not describe optimal weight gain patterns because recommended delivery gestational age for twins is between 37 and 42 weeks with average twin birth weights ≥2500 g to reduce mortality and morbidity.
They found that twins at first birth were linked to higher divorce rates at 13.7% compared to 12.7% for singletons. The link was statistically higher among moms attending college at 14.4% with twins vs. 10.5% with single births.
Fortunately telling twins apart is one fear that can be taken off the list. Most parents find that mixing up their babies is the least of their concerns. After only a few hours or days at most, they are distinguishable as individuals. Even if they look alike, parents just know the difference.
Everyone has the same chance of having identical twins: about 1 in 250. Identical twins do not run in families. But there are some factors that make having non-identical twins more likely: non-identical twins are more common in some ethnic groups, with the highest rate among Nigerians and the lowest among Japanese.
Twins are more likely to be born early, often before 38 weeks, so it's important to understand your birth options. Less than half of all twin pregnancies last beyond 37 weeks. Because of the likelihood that your babies will be born early, there is a good chance one or both of them will spend some time in special care.
Sleep sideways with support
Everyone has a comfortable sleeping position but especially during pregnancy doctors recommend laying on their sides. “A mother expecting twins is suggested to sleep on their sides after 16 weeks of pregnancy. You may experience slight swelling, back pain, or other common symptoms.
The Reasons For Early Delivery Include:
risk of infection after premature rupture of the membranes. pre-eclampsia or high blood pressure. pre-existing diabetes or gestational diabetes. genital tract infection (e.g. chlamydia, gonorrhea)
If one identical twin has autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the other twin has a 76 percent chance of also being diagnosed with it. The numbers are lower for fraternal twins. The percentage of fraternal twins who each share an ASD diagnosis is 34 percent for same-sex twins and 18 percent for boy-girl pairs, Dr.
The strongest risk factor for suicide is mental illness and studies show that mental illness is slightly more common among twins.