In a twin pregnancy, there are elevated levels of hCG, making it possible to have a very early positive result. However, home pregnancy tests won't confirm if twins are present, only the presence of hCG. It takes around 2 weeks after conception for hCG to be detected in a hCG pregnancy test.
Studies have shown that pregnant people expecting twins or multiples may have higher hCG levels than those experiencing a singleton pregnancy. That said, hCG levels vary from person to person and pregnancy to pregnancy, so hCG levels are not definitive to determine a twin pregnancy.
Early signs of a twin pregnancy include severe morning sickness, quick weight gain, and more breast tenderness. You may also notice an increased appetite or extreme fatigue. Plus, those who have a twin pregnancy may begin showing sooner.
If you test yourself even earlier than that, it's just as likely that what you measured is simply a normal variation in hormone production. Early positives may mean you have two more babies on the way (which research indicates is more common among women over the age of 35), or they may mean that you have just one.
Range of hCG levels and what they can mean
The range for singletons is 5 – 397 and for twins it is 48 – 683.
Elevated Beta-hCG Levels
If you are using a regular pregnancy test (not the super-sensitive variety) and get an immediate positive (especially a very dark positive indicator) a few days before your period is due, there may be an increased chance that you are carrying twins.
Can a twin pregnancy be detected early on? Yes. A twin pregnancy can often be detected in your first trimester by an ultrasound Opens a new window at 6 weeks or later. If your healthcare provider checks your hcG levels, a higher-than-normal level can be a sign of a twin pregnancy.
A pregnancy test detects the presence of the hCG 'pregnancy' hormone. HCG is normally only present in your body if you are pregnant. Any positive line, no matter how faint, means your result is pregnant. Levels of hCG in your body will increase over the course of your pregnancy.
If a pink line showed up quickly, then it is likely a positive, pregnant result. If the line only showed up much later (say ten minutes or more) than the control line, it may be an evaporation line.
3 weeks is usually too early to take a test if you want the most accurate result. Some women, however, will get a positive result by the end of this week. Although you might be desperate to find out, if you think you could be pregnant it's best to wait until next week.
Twins develop from embryos to babies like a single baby does. By weeks 10 to 14 of your pregnancy, one or two placentas have formed inside your uterus.
It's usually possible to find out if you're having twins through your 12-week scan. At the scan, you should be told whether the babies share a placenta (meaning they're identical) or if they have 2 separate placentas (meaning they can be identical or not).
An immediate dark positive result could mean that there's a high concentration of hCG in your urine, and the test is showing an immediate dark result due to the hormone level. One thing to note is that all home pregnancy tests are different and may detect hCG at different levels.
RESULTS: The median free β-human chorionic gonadotropin and pregnancy-associated plasma protein A levels in cases of Down syndrome was 2.09 (95% confidence interval 1.69 to 2.62) and 0.405 multiples of the median (95% confidence interval 0.28 to 0.67), respectively.
A positive result will last for at least 48 hours. However, a negative result may not last and should not be read after 10 minutes.
In a healthy pregnancy, the levels of the hormone should double every 2 to 3 days. While the line might be faint at the very beginning of pregnancy, as time goes on and the pregnancy advances, the line that the test produces should get darker and more apparent.
If you see a positive line, you're pregnant
As your pregnancy progresses, levels of hCG will go up, making it easier for tests to detect.
“Higher hCG levels can be an indicator of a twin pregnancy, but it's not conclusive evidence,” Dr. Garg said. “Two placentas in twin pregnancies produce more hCG in comparison to the single placenta in a singleton pregnancy.” So, one explanation for a higher-than-average hCG level could be a normal twin pregnancy.
A very faint line on a pregnancy test usually means that implantation has occurred and you're in the early stages of pregnancy. But you'll want to test again a few days or weeks later to see if that line has become thicker and darker, meaning your pregnancy is progressing — and you can safely start getting excited!
With twins, the uterus tends to expand a lot more and the body experiences more pressure. Hence, experiencing cramps and back pain early on could be a possible hint.
Don t be surprised if you develop a bit of a 6 weeks pregnant belly. Although your 6 week embryo is still well down in your pelvis, some women, especially those who've been pregnant before, seem to show much earlier. General abdominal distention is usually the cause.
Implantation pain
Feeling those implantation pains during the first trimester? It could be twins, but if you're not sure or you're worried about the pain, make sure you get this one checked out by your midwife or doctor.