First Signs of Twin Pregnancy
Summary: Pregnancies are full of joy and wonder for most women. The first signs of a twin pregnancy increase the excitement.

Pregnancies are full of joy and wonder for most women. All of the new firsts generate much excitement: the first positive pregnancy test, the first signs of pregnancy as a woman’s body changes, the first flutters from baby moving around, and more. Pregnancy is truly a special and miraculous time. All of these wonderful feelings become heightened with the anticipation of a twin pregnancy. Twins are becoming more common in this day and age. Many women will have the chance to experience a twin pregnancy.

Several factors influence the odds of having twins. The single most favorable factor is fertility treatments. Some statistics state that fertility treatments can increase a woman’s chance of having multiples to 1 in 5. However, it does depend on the type of treatment used. Other factors that increase a woman’s odds are: her maternal age, and having fraternal twins born on her mother’s side of the family. A woman chance of carrying twins rises with age, especially after the age of 45. A 50 year old woman actually has a 1 in 9 chance without using fertility treatments. Women, who have previously carried twins or have twins on their mother’s side, may carry a hyper-ovulation gene. The hyper-ovulation gene causes multiple eggs to be released in each ovulation cycle. The hyper-ovulation gene is hereditary. If you mother carried this gene, then you may as well. Where you live can also play a factor in twin pregnancies. Certain states have a consistently higher percentage of twin pregnancies than the national average.


Just as several factors increase a woman’s chance of carrying twins, some factors decrease her odds. A young mother, with a maternal age of 25 or less, has lower odds of becoming pregnant with twins than a woman over 25 years of age. Women of certain ethnic backgrounds are naturally less likely to carry twins; both Hispanic and Asian women are less likely to have a twin pregnancy than a white or black woman. Some states and even countries have lower statistics of twin pregnancies as well.

Pregnant women may wonder if they are carrying twins. The thought crosses almost every woman’s mind. If the suspicion sticks around though, she may actually have a twin pregnancy. One of the first signs of a twin pregnancy is a strong suspicion by the mom-to-be. Most moms who have had twins said that they just knew. While that is not scientific evidence, there are other signs that may indicate a twin pregnancy.

Early signs can indicate a twin pregnancy.

The first signs of a twin pregnancy can include any of the following:

• Exaggerated symptoms. Women carrying twins usually have a harder time with morning sickness, fatigue, nausea, and mood swings. These symptoms are worsened by the extra amount of hormones in the pregnancy.

• Elevated levels of hCG. Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a hormone produced during the early stages of pregnancy, and is used to indicate a positive pregnancy. Levels can vary between pregnant women, so hCG alone is not an indicator of twins.

• Abnormally high levels of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP). Health care providers test the AFP level in pregnancy to look for signs of abnormality in a baby. An elevated level of AFP may be caused by twins rather than abnormalities though, so an ultrasound will be required when high levels are found.

• Ultrasound. An ultrasound is the easiest and safest way to determine if a woman is carrying twins. Ultrasounds use high frequency sound waves to create a visual image of the baby (or babies) in a mother’s womb. An ultrasound can be used as early as 5 weeks.

• Doppler. A Doppler can be used to determine if there are multiple babies in the womb. However, this can be difficult if the babies are positioned close to each other. A Doppler is used to hear the baby’s heartbeat as early as 10 weeks into the pregnancy.

• Weight gain. A woman carrying twins generally gains weight at a fast rate than a woman carrying one child. Weight gain varies quite a bit between women, so weight gain alone cannot be used to determine if twins are present.

• Measuring large for gestation. Health care providers measure a woman’s uterus throughout her pregnancy to determine if the baby is growing at an adequate rate. A woman’s uterus will measure large for gestation (the length of the pregnancy), if she is carrying twins.

• Fetal movement. Flutters and kicks can sometimes be felt earlier when multiples are present. Not all women claim to feel their babies move earlier than when they carried one child. However, some early movements are mistaken for gas or other pains.

Twin pregnancies can be difficult on a woman. Twin pregnancies mean more for mom, more side effects, weight gain, frequent checkups, and more precautions. Twin pregnancies can lead to several types of complications, including:

• Gestational diabetes. A mother carrying twins is more likely to develop gestational diabetes, which is a type of diabetes that occurs in pregnancy. Gestational diabetes can damage the placenta causing breathing problems for baby, and could cause a baby to grow too quickly.

• High blood pressure. The chance of developing high blood pressure during pregnancy increases with twins.

• Preeclampsia. Preeclampsia is a dangerous complication for mother and baby; it usually develops with high blood pressure and protein in mother’s urine.

• Preterm labor. Babies born before 37 weeks of gestation. Babies born early may have life-threatening complications.