Twin Pregnancy Definition, Reason, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention
Understanding
Twin pregnancy is when a woman becomes pregnant with two or more fetuses at the same time. This condition is more common in pregnancies originating from in vitro fertilization or IVF processes when compared to spontaneous pregnancies.
Twin pregnancies are quite rare. Based on the data, among 16,288 deliveries there were only 197 twins and 6 triplets.
Types of Twin Pregnancies
Twin pregnancies can be classified as follows:
- Identical twin pregnancies are twin pregnancies that occur from one egg fertilized by one sperm. Identical twins generally have the same placenta, but their amniotic sac is separated at the uterus (in rare cases, identical twins have one amniotic sac).
Identical twins will have the same sex, appearance, fingerprints and palms. Nonetheless, these pregnancies are rare.
- Non-identical twin pregnancies are twin pregnancies that come from two eggs fertilized by different sperm. The tendency of this pregnancy is greater than identical twins, which is approximately 2/3 of the total twin pregnancies. The sex of the twins that are born can be the same or different. They also have a different appearance like other children in the family.
Symptom
Symptoms of a twin pregnancy are the same as symptoms of pregnancy in general.
At first, expectant mothers can feel normal pregnancy symptoms such as late menstruation, nausea, enlarged uterus, and others. However, usually, the symptoms of a twin pregnancy are seen from the development of a larger uterus.
In addition, the expectant mother’s weight also increases significantly, which is as much as 18-23 kg, and is not caused by swelling or obesity.
Reason
There are various factors that cause twin pregnancies, such as:
- Race. Apparently, the African race has a higher frequency of twin pregnancies than whites.
- Descendants. If there is a history of twins from the mother’s side, then the possibility of multiple pregnancies increases.
- Age. The higher the age, namely over 35 years, the higher the frequency of twin pregnancies. It was only after the age of 40 that the frequency of multiple pregnancies decreased again.
- Frequency of maternal pregnancies. The frequency of multiple pregnancies increases according to the number of pregnancies the mother has.
- Time. The likelihood of multiple pregnancies increases immediately after discontinuation of the contraceptive pill.
- Infertility therapy. Medicines during this therapy can stimulate the ovaries to release more than one egg so that it can be fertilized at the same time.
Diagnosis
In diagnosing twin pregnancies, the doctor will carry out a series of actions, starting from interviews, physical examinations, and supporting examinations.
During the interview, the doctor will ask when the last menstruation was, history of contraception, history of previous pregnancies, history of IVF, history of twins in the family, and other important information. While on a physical examination, the doctor will check your vital signs and general condition which will then be followed up with a pregnancy check.
During a pregnancy examination, the doctor will suspect a twin pregnancy if the size of the uterus exceeds the gestational age, more than one fetus can be felt in the fetus, and the fetal heartbeat is heard in two locations. Supporting examinations that need to be carried out are ultrasound, hormone examinations, and other routine examinations such as blood and urine tests.
Twin Pregnancy Tips
If you are experiencing a twin pregnancy, do the following tips so that the pregnancy continues smoothly until delivery:
- Consume adequate nutrition. Do not forget to pay attention to folic acid, iron and calcium.
- Avoid smoking, drinking alcohol and excessive caffeine.
- Reduce physical activity. Some doctors recommend stopping physical activity after 24 weeks of pregnancy.
- Get plenty of rest, especially after the 24th week of pregnancy.
- Routinely check the content to the doctor.
The nutritional needs of the expectant mother will increase during twin pregnancies, so additional supplements such as iron need to be given. This substance is useful for preventing anemia during pregnancy. In addition, expectant mothers are encouraged to eat foods that contain lots of protein.
How to eat also needs to be considered properly. It is better to consume food in small quantities but in frequent frequency, compared to eating large amounts of food at once.
For the benefit of the expectant mother and the twins she is carrying, prenatal checks should be carried out more frequently. Get checked every week when the pregnancy reaches the age of 36, so that signs of complications can be known earlier and treated more quickly. Twin pregnancies can be born normally. Usually, a cesarean section will be chosen if needed, for example, if one of the fetuses is breech.
One of the complications that often occur from twin pregnancies is premature. Therefore, expectant mothers who are carrying two or more fetuses must recognize the signs of early birth, such as:
- Lower abdominal cramps which may be accompanied by diarrhea.
- Contractions of the uterus that are persistent and do not go away, four or more times in 20 minutes, or eight or more times in 1 hour.
- Emphasis on the lower back.
- Increased vaginal discharge.
If there are signs above, immediately go to the hospital to get treatment.
Complications
Twin pregnancies have a higher risk, because they can cause quite dangerous complications. Some of the complications that may occur are as follows:
- Stillbirth
The possibility of a baby being born dead. - Single or Multiple Fetal Demise
One or both babies suffer from a life-threatening disease. - Single Fetal Demise and Co-twin Morbidity
One baby died and his twin got sick. - Single Fetal Demise and Maternal Morbidity
Death of one baby and health complications to the mother. - Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation
Severe bleeding that occurs due to blocked blood flow, so that blood clotting cells to control bleeding are reduced. - Low Birth Weight
Babies born prematurely and babies with a very small weight.