Multiples = Multiple Concerns

The term “multifetal pregnancy” includes twins, triplets, and higher-order multiples. With the process of in vitro fertilization (assisted reproduction), more multifetal pregnancies occur each year in the United States than ever before. Women who are pregnant with multiples face greater risks than those with a single pregnancy. At Marietta OB-GYN Affiliates, P.A. we are committed to providing complete and compassionate care to pregnant mothers of multiples.

While pregnancy with multiples is often an exciting time for expectant mothers and fathers, being pregnant with more than one growing baby increases the risks for complications for both the mother and babies. The most common concerns are:

• Preterm labor and birth: Over 60% of twins and nearly all higher-order multiples are born prematurely (before 37 weeks). Many times, a woman simply runs out of room for her growing babies, and the cervix is stimulated in to early contractions. Premature birth puts babies at risk because they are often small, have low birthweights, and need help breathing, eating, maintaining body temperatures, and fighting infection.
• Hypertension: Women carrying multiples are more than twice as likely to develop high blood pressure during pregnancy. This condition occurs earlier and is more severe than it does with women with a single pregnancy. Hypertension increases the chance of placental abruption.
• Abnormal amniotic fluid: The amount of amniotic fluids play a huge role in the development and health of growing babies. Because multiples share amniotic fluid, abnormalities are more common in pregnancies of multiples, especially for twins that share a placenta.
• Twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome: This is a condition that develops only with identical twins that share a placenta. Blood vessels connect within the placenta and divert blood from one baby to the other. Many times, one twin will end up with too much amniotic fluid while the other receives too little.
• Cord entanglement: For twins that share an amniotic sac, monitoring of the growing babies is necessary in the third trimester to closely watch the position of the umbilical cord.
• Postpartum hemorrhage: Because the uterus grows so rapidly and large with multiples and there is a large placental area, the mother is at risk for severe bleeding after delivery in multiple pregnancies.

With concerns come great joy. We look forward to serving your growing family.