Common Symptoms of Twin Pregnancies
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Summary: You may wonder how you would know whether or not you are having twins or more. Especially first time mothers. If you have been pregnant before, it is only normal to compare this pregnancy to any previous pregnancies. However after one pregnancy the uterus and the supporting ligaments are already stretched , so you may get bigger earlier then you did the first time around.
Let’s look at some common symptoms of twin pregnancies. However none of these always indicate more than one baby.
Faster weight gain - A woman normally has gained ten to twenty pounds by the second trimester and one carrying twins will have a weight gain of fifteen to twenty five pounds.
Uterus measuring large in relation to gestational age of the baby can mean a multiple pregnancy. This can also indicate a miscalculation of the due date, excessive fluid or uterine fibroids.
Severe morning sickness - More than 50% of mothers carrying two or more babies experience more severe morning sickness than do moms of one.
Baby moving earlier than expected - many mothers of twins say they felt the movement of the baby/babies earlier then they did in past pregnancies.
Two heartbeats heard - However even this is not 100% accurate, since the heartbeat of a single child can be heard in different parts of the uterus. Only if the two heartbeats have different rates will the doctor or other health care practitioner consider the possibility of multiple infants.
High AFP results - Some women don’t have any other symptoms of multiples. A high AFP might indicate multiple fetuses. This protein is secreted by the baby’s liver. A high result could be a sign of fetal abnormalities in a single infant. Most physicians will order an ultrasound to get a better idea of what is happening with the pregnancy.
Extreme fatigue - Carrying a baby can be tiring as the baby takes what he needs from the mother. Two or more can be draining. Some mothers assume the exhaustion is normal especially if they have other children to care for and or an outside job. Fatigue is the most common complaint by mothers carrying multiples.
Predisposition for twins - Advanced age for pregnancy, twins in the woman’s family and the use of fertility drugs or in vitro fertilization, which generally deposits more than one fertilized egg in hopes that one will implant.
If any one or more of the above signs of a twin pregnancy exists, the doctor will order an ultra-sound if she doesn’t request one to satisfy yourself.
Did you ever just know something was happening or about to happen, but you don’t know why? Sometimes it is that way with pregnant women, they just know they are having a boy (or girl). Sometimes a pregnant woman “just knows” she is carrying more than one baby.
The bottom line is that the so called symptoms of twin pregnancies may or may not be an accurate predictor of whether or not you will have twins. Only an ultrsound can tell you with any degree of certainty.
