Why carrying twins is very dangerous: risks for mom and babies

The likelihood of conceiving twins is 1 in 250 – this is when we talk about conceiving naturally. Here heredity plays a significant role, and some even believe that there is a special diet, thanks to which the likelihood of becoming pregnant with twins increases. With IVF, multiple pregnancies are much more common. And in any case, this is a serious test for the mother’s body.

Risks for mom

Hypertension

And without that, a complication during pregnancy – high blood pressure – is often found in expectant mothers of twins almost twice as often. If those who are expecting one baby, hypertension occurs in 6,5% of cases, then in the case of pregnancy with twins, this probability is already 12,7%. Left untreated, gestational hypertension can lead to premature birth, developmental problems, or even stillbirth.

Preeclampsia

A very serious condition, into which hypertension can develop. With preeclampsia, blood pressure rises and protein appears in the urine. From external manifestations – edema, severe headache, rapid weight gain. If preeclampsia is left untreated, it can lead to toxemia. This condition causes seizures and is very dangerous for the life of both the mother and the unborn child.

Diabetes mellitus during pregnancy

Gestational diabetes is a condition where the body becomes unable to maintain normal blood sugar levels. In the case of singleton pregnancies, the risk of developing gestational diabetes is about 5%; in pregnant twins, this probability doubles.

Hyperemesis of pregnant women

This is the very complication that Kate Middleton suffered from. This is toxicosis, but only very severe. It leads to significant weight loss, while pregnant women, on the contrary, are supposed to gain weight. This condition may require hospitalization: against the background of constant severe nausea, dehydration occurs, and this is dangerous for the mother and child.

Premature birth

Delivering multiple pregnancies to 38 weeks is much more difficult than normal pregnancies. Doctors often have to prescribe therapy to maintain pregnancy: the task here is to carry babies as long as possible so that the body is at least a little ready for the baby’s birth. But only 40% of twin mothers succeed. The average duration of a multiple pregnancy is 35 weeks.

Cesarean section

It is carried out much more often in twin pregnancies than in singleton pregnancies. The fact is that the risk of complications during childbirth increases significantly, and the mother’s recovery after natural childbirth can be delayed. In addition, babies are not always in breech presentation. In this situation, complications in childbirth are almost inevitable. To reduce the likelihood of injuries for mothers and babies, a planned cesarean is prescribed.

Other complications

Twin mothers are more likely to experience gastrointestinal problems, in particular constipation. They are more likely to bleed and are more likely to develop postpartum depression after childbirth.

Risks to babies

Women who conceive twins are more likely to have miscarriages. In addition, it can happen that in the early stages of pregnancy, one embryo “absorbs” the other, only one baby is born. Why this happens, doctors cannot explain yet.

There is another danger: an imbalance in intrauterine development, when one of the twins grows much more slowly than the other. In the case of pregnancy with identical twins, when babies have one placenta for two, a blood transfusion syndrome may develop – one of the babies takes on the lion’s share of the blood flow, and the second withers away. If this condition is not dealt with, then the “deprived” baby may develop heart failure. There are times when one of the babies died.

Twins usually weigh less at birth than normal babies, even if the pregnancy was delivered. In addition, they are more likely to suffer from neonatal jaundice.

And we have collected for you 22 most delicate photos of twins. Just look at this beauty!