Early symptoms with twins

Signs of twin pregnancy: is it possible to tell if you’re having multiples?

Early signs of a twin pregnancy include severe morning sickness, quick weight gain, and more breast tenderness. You may also notice an increased appetite or extreme fatigue. Plus, those who have a twin pregnancy may begin showing sooner. But the only way to confirm a twin pregnancy is with an ultrasound done at your doctor's office, typically during the first trimester. Your doctor may also be able to confirm if you're having fraternal or identical twins, but a DNA test can tell you for sure.

You won't know for sure if you're carrying twins until you have an ultrasound, but there may be a few early signs. Some telltale early signs that you may be carrying twins include more severe morning sickness, extreme breast tenderness, or gaining weight more quickly.

Extreme fatigue might be a signOpens a new window that you're carrying twins, but being super tired during pregnancy can also be caused by things like a normal singleton pregnancy, stress, a hectic work life, and a lot of responsibilities. Although it's possible, extreme fatigue early on doesn't necessarily mean that you're definitely carrying twins.

The same goes for excessive morning sickness, which many women pregnant with multiples do experience but many do not.

Other early signs of a twin pregnancy can include a greater appetite (which includes that extra weight gain), "showing" earlier in pregnancy, and feeling the babies' movement in two different parts of the stomach.

If you feel that you're having above average morning sickness, early pregnancy exhaustion, lots of breast tenderness, and are gaining weight quicker than you expected, you may be pregnant with twins.

When will you find out you're having twins?

Typically, you'll find out if you're having twins during a first trimester ultrasound. An ultrasound will usually be able to detect a twin pregnancy early on, but sometimes a twin pregnancy can be detected even earlier through a pregnancy blood test.

If you have a multiples pregnancy then you might have higher levels of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), aka the "pregnancy hormone. " But elevated hCG doesn't automatically mean that you're having twins either. You will still need to confirm your pregnancy status with an ultrasound.

The same goes for detecting twins with a Doppler, which detects fetal heartbeat sounds. A skilled doctor or midwife may be able to find two heartbeats but, because you may be able to hear a single heartbeat in two different areas of the mom's stomach, this is not the best way to tell if you are having twins. Instead, have your doctor do an ultrasound to find out.

The difference between fraternal and identical twins

Once you know you're having twins, you might be wondering what kind of twins you have: fraternal or identical. If you have identical twins, or monozygotic, it means that your twins share an amniotic sac and came from a single fertilized egg that divided into two. Meanwhile, fraternal twins, or dizygotic, came from 2 separate fertilized eggs that developed in 2 separate amniotic sacs.

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Your doctor will be able to tell in your ultrasound whether you have fraternal or identical twins, and can let you know. But the best way to determine if twins are identical or fraternal is through examining their DNA, since identical twins have the same DNA.

If you have fraternal twins, then the sex of your twins might be 2 boys, 2 girls, or a boy and a girl since fraternal twins are fertilized with 2 different sperm in 2 different eggs. Meanwhile, identical twins will always be the same sex at birth since they came from 1 sperm and 1 egg.

When you think of twins, you might be imagining two babies that look exactly the same - but that's not always the case. Since fraternal twins come from 2 different fertilized eggs, they can look very different from one another.

Depending on the type of twins, sometimes your doctor is able to tell if they are identical. However, in most instances, it 's not possible to tell for sure without a genetic test.

Learn more about twins:

Your likelihood of having twins or more
Is it true that giving birth to twins runs in families?

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Twin Pregnancy Week by Week

So, you’ve hit the jackpot—you’re pregnant with twins! While you’re adjusting to this life-changing news, your little ones are already growing and preparing to meet you! As you embark on this double adventure, it can be helpful to know about some of the common twin pregnancy symptoms that may await you week by week.

Twin Pregnancy: First Trimester

In the first few weeks of your twin pregnancy, you might notice some typical signs of early pregnancy, such as breast tenderness, fatigue, nausea, and a missed period. During your first trimester, a home pregnancy test can confirm your hunch that you're pregnant, and eventually an ultrasound scan at your healthcare provider's office will reveal you are pregnant with twins. Although the first few weeks are a little uneventful, the first few months are quite exciting! Both of your babies develop from a cluster of cells to a tiny fetus with a heart, spinal cord, head, and limbs. Read on to learn about twin pregnancy development and symptoms, week by week during the first trimester.

3 Weeks

After the first three weeks of pregnancy, you may start to feel a few pregnancy symptoms. And when it comes to a twin pregnancy, there’s quite a lot going on in that belly of yours, which is now nurturing either identical or fraternal twins.

Identical twins. When a sperm fertilizes an egg, it becomes a single cell called a zygote, which has 46 chromosomes that determine your baby’s sex and physical traits. When you have one zygote that splits into two during early pregnancy and grows into separate embryos, you’ll have identical twins. Because they come from the same zygote, they will have the same chromosomes and be the same sex.
Fraternal twins. If you have two zygotes, from two eggs fertilized by different sperm, these twins will not be identical and can be either the same or different sex. Fraternal twins are more common than identical twins.

4 Weeks

At around 4 weeks pregnant, some important developments occur, including implantation. This is when you may notice one of the first symptoms of pregnancy, which is implantation bleeding.

Implantation in the uterus. Around eight or nine days after fertilization, the rapidly dividing ball of cells, now known as a blastocyst, will burrow into the lining of the uterus. Each blastocyst, two in the case of a twin pregnancy, will grow into an embryo.
The placentas begin to grow. About one week later, the outer layer of the blastocyst will begin to form a placenta for each baby, providing nourishment over the course of your pregnancy. In some rare cases, the babies may share one placenta.

5 to 8 Weeks

When tracking pregnancy symptoms week by week, whether with one baby or twins, 5 to 8 weeks pregnant is when nausea and vomiting—aka morning sickness—might kick in. Though the precise cause or causes of this condition are unknown, the pregnancy hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) may be a contributing factor. No one loves having this unpleasant symptom, which can be (but isn’t always) more severe during a twin pregnancy, but many moms-to-be choose to think of it as a sign that their pregnancy is going well! This is important considering all the growth and development your babies are experiencing during this time:

Your twins start forming brains and spinal cords. Around 6 weeks, your babies’ spinal cords and brains will develop from the neural tubes.
Little arms and legs start to form. By 8 weeks of your twin pregnancy, your babies will have buds for limbs that look like little paddles.
Two heartbeats. The tissues that form your babies’ hearts will begin to develop at this time. Heartbeats may even be detected during an ultrasound exam offered by your healthcare provider during this trimester. Ultrasound is the way most women find out they are pregnant with twins, often at around 12 weeks of pregnancy.
All major organs take shape. By the end of 8 weeks, all your babies’ major organs will have started to develop.

9 to 13 Weeks

As you enter the final weeks of the first trimester, you may be surprised to learn what’s happening in that baby bump of yours.

Fingers, toes, and nails begin to appear. Your tiny duo will start to develop fingers, followed by little toes taking shape; by 12 weeks, fingernails will also begin to sprout.
Facial features take shape. Twelve weeks into your pregnancy, your twins’ faces are less broad and more defined. Your babies will have eyelids and a more developed profile, with a formed nose, eyes, and upper lip.
Tooth buds form. Your babies’ future teeth are already in place, as tooth buds have appeared under the gums.

Your Twin Pregnancy in the Second Trimester

Twin pregnancy symptoms, when tracked week by week, aren’t too different from those in a singleton pregnancy. However, twin moms-to-be usually show their bumps sooner, and during the second trimester, it will become increasingly obvious that you’re pregnant with twins. You might also feel more uncomfortable and tired than singleton moms during this time or gain more weight, which is completely normal—after all, your body is a nourishing home to two developing babies! Read on to learn about twin pregnancy development and symptoms, week by week during the second trimester.

14 to 17 Weeks

The beginning of your second trimester is a busy time for your babies. They’re gaining weight and becoming more active. As for you, you’re entering what’s known as the golden period of pregnancy, when morning sickness and fatigue finally start to subside, and you feel more energized.

Limbs will move. Your babies will start to jerk their arms and legs, but you probably won’t be able to feel anything until they’re a bit bigger.
Bones start to harden. The bones of your twins will begin to harden, particularly the head and long bones.
Little eyes may move. Although their eyes are still closed, at 16 weeks, your babies can slowly move their eyes behind the lids. Your little ones should also have eyebrows and eyelashes at this point, too.
A protective coating forms on the skin. Your babies will start to acquire a greasy, waxy coating known as vernix, which helps shield their skin from the amniotic fluid.

18 to 22 Weeks

A few new aches and pains could crop up at this time, thanks to your growing uterus and hormonal changes. To help ease the discomfort, try adding some exercise to your daily routine, if your healthcare provider gives you the OK. Exercising while pregnant may not only minimize discomfort but also help boost your energy level and increase blood circulation, which benefits your twins.

Your twins may suck their thumbs. Your growing duo will develop the sucking reflex and may even suck their thumbs.
Your babies get active. During these weeks you may detect some gentle fluttering or wriggling. Before long, these movements will morph into kicks and jabs!
Your babies can hear. By 18 weeks, your babies may even begin to hear, and their ears will begin to stand out at the side of the head.
Your babies grow hair. Just after 20 weeks, your babies will be covered with a fine, downy protective hair called lanugo. Not only that, your little ones are also continuing to grow eyebrows and hair on their heads!

23 to 27 Weeks

You may start to develop some new symptoms as your twin pregnancy progresses week by week in the second trimester. For example, it’s possible to feel Braxton Hicks contractions, a sign that your body is practicing for labor. These practice contractions are also known as false labor, as they’re not the real deal. Your babies are also making progress and getting ready for their big entrance.

Your twins form fingerprints. Ridges in your babies’ palms and soles are becoming fingerprints and footprints.
Your babies can respond to sound. Your babies may begin to move in response to familiar sounds, such as your voice.
Little lungs develop. At around 26 weeks, the lungs forming in your babies' chests are slowly preparing to make breathing motions. They are producing a substance called surfactant that helps the air sacs in the lungs stay inflated, which is necessary for breathing.

Your Twin Pregnancy in the Third Trimester

In the third trimester, some of the most common twin or singleton pregnancy symptoms that could appear week by week include backaches as well as swelling in your hands, feet, and legs. As a result, you might find it hard to sleep or walk comfortably. Meanwhile, your twins are getting ready for the big day! During this time, they’re listening to familiar sounds, such as your voice, and are likely settling into the optimal position for a vaginal delivery, which means both babies have their head down. In some cases, only one twin may be facing headfirst, or both twins are facing feet first. Check the visual below to get an idea of how your babies might settle in the womb. And keep in mind that with twin pregnancies, there’s a higher likelihood of needing a cesarean delivery or giving birth prematurely.

Although you might have checked our due date calculator, be aware that in an average twin pregnancy, twins are born closer to 35 weeks than to 40 weeks, so it’s worth getting prepared early. Make sure you have doubles of all the clothes, cribs, wipes, and diapers you’ll need! And since double the fun means double the price, earn cash and rewards by downloading the Pampers Club App.

Read on to learn about twin pregnancy development and symptoms, week by week during the third trimester.

28 to 32 Weeks

At this stage, your body is making more blood than it usually does, and your heart is pumping quickly to circulate it throughout your body. And, naturally, your baby bump continues to expand week by week, as your twins grow and develop.

Your twins can open and close their eyes. Your twins may be able open and close their eyes and sense changes in light. However, they will spend most of their time sleeping with eyelids closed.
Brains growing. Your babies’ brains are growing quickly at this stage of your pregnancy. Parts of the brain can now control body temperature, so your twins are not solely dependent just the temperature of the amniotic fluid to stay warm.
Your twins have finished their major development. By now, your babies will have finished most of their development and start to gain weight rapidly. At 32 weeks, your babies may start to shed their lanugo, the fine hair that covered their bodies.

33 to 36 Weeks

As mentioned above, those who are pregnant with twins can expect an earlier delivery. So, at this point in your twin pregnancy, you’re in the home stretch, and your babies know it!

The lungs are preparing to breathe. Your babies’ lungs are maturing and preparing to breathe outside the womb.
Twins gaining weight. During the last few weeks of your pregnancy, your twins will continue to build fat layers and put on weight. Most twins will be born smaller than singleton babies, weighing on average 5.1 pounds.
Getting ready for birth. Most women give birth between 37 and 42 weeks. However, if you’re expecting twins, you could give birth as early as 35 weeks, so keep an eye out for any signs of labor and discuss your options with your healthcare provider.

In the video below, watch one of our partner nurses offer advice on when to head to the hospital as the signs of labor begin.

The Bottom Line

Were you not expecting two for the price of one? After the initial surprise of a twin pregnancy, it’s completely natural to feel overjoyed, overwhelmed, or even shocked for a while! But, knowing the symptoms of a twin pregnancy and what awaits you week by week can help you feel confident along the way and offer some peace of mind. In some ways, a twin pregnancy isn’t that different than a singleton one. You’ll have a larger baby bump, of course, and you may feel more tired or experience other symptoms to a greater degree; but you’ll make similar progress as the weeks and months go by and your due date approaches. However, to summarize a few important differences, a twin pregnancy might include

more checkups with your health provider
increased weight gain
an earlier delivery
your twins needing a little extra time in the hospital
higher risk for cesarean delivery and premature birth.

Think of it this way: though a twin pregnancy comes with its share of challenges, having twins means there are two babies to love and bring joy into your life! Hang in there and enjoy the journey as much as possible. You’ll be amazed to discover how your heart will grow twice as much!

Early signs and diagnosis of multiple pregnancy, facts about twins

Today, instead of grandmother's methods for determining the sex and number of children during pregnancy, there are more reliable ones: for example, ultrasound. However, some signs even before the examination will tell you that you have twins. Or triplets...

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You knew that there are ailments at the beginning of pregnancy, but so what?! It’s like you feel sick for two and you want to sleep twice as much and everything somehow manifests itself doubly ... So maybe you have twins? Many would prefer to live in ignorance, the news that your family will increase by two people at once can cause too much shock. But forewarned is forearmed! The sooner you hear the bombshell news, the better you can prepare for the birth of twins. Or maybe you have triplets?

Contents of the article

Early signs of pregnancy with twins

As with any other pregnancy, nausea and feeling unwell in the morning are possible. Only on this basis it is difficult to determine a multiple pregnancy. If she is not the first, you may feel the difference in the strength of the manifestation of morning sickness. And then suspicions may arise that more than one child is developing inside you.
Severe acne, dryness and flaking of the skin due to abrupt hormonal changes (with a singleton pregnancy, the hormonal surge is not so pronounced).
Increased blood pressure, increased heart rate: with twins, the body pumps more blood than with one baby.
Early dyspnea: two fetuses press on the diaphragm.
Increased soreness of the mammary glands, such that even just touching the breast is unbearable, can also be a sign of twin pregnancy.
Increased appetite and rapid weight gain is one of the frequent companions of multiple pregnancy. The body spends too much energy on maintaining multiple embryos and requires more "fuel".
Extreme fatigue. If you fall off your feet in the morning and your only dream is to lie down (and preferably lie down throughout your pregnancy) and you have no strength for anything, you may have twins. Although a singleton pregnancy, and stress, and lack of sleep can manifest themselves this way.
Movement too early or movement in various parts of the abdomen. "Hearing" two babies is more likely at an earlier date than one.
Rapid growth of the abdomen. With twins, as a rule, it begins to protrude forward earlier, since the uterus grows more actively and, upon examination, the doctor sees a discrepancy between its size and the gestational age.
Increased level of the pregnancy hormone hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) for the current gestational age. However, this does not automatically mean that you are pregnant with more than one baby, more accurate diagnosis will still be required.

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What will help to reliably determine pregnancy with twins

The surest way to diagnose multiple pregnancy is ultrasound. Dopplerometry (blood flow study) is not so indicative, because the doppler machine can “hear” one heart in different parts of the abdomen or, conversely, take two heartbeats as one in different locations, mistake extraneous noises or the mother’s heartbeat for the second heartbeat, and so on. Ultrasound in the first trimester will accurately tell the number of fetuses. Also, this research method determines the so-called chorionicity of the fetus - options for attaching the chorion (placenta) in the uterine cavity and the number of fetal bladders and membranes. Multiple pregnancy happens:

Monoamniotic - with one placenta for all babies in the stomach (the rarest type of twins)
Dichorionic - each fetus has its own placenta
Monoamniotic - children develop in the common amniotic fluid in one fetal egg wait the baby has its own fetal membrane and fetal bladder.

Twins or twins?

Strictly speaking, there is no concept of twins in science. There are monozygotic (identical) and dizygotic (fraternal) twins.

Monozygotic twins result from the division of one fertilized egg into two embryos. Identical twins have the same set of genes, are always the same sex, and are nearly identical in appearance.

Dizygotic (fraternal) twins are the result of fertilization by two spermatozoa of two different eggs. As a result, children of both the same and different sexes are born, similar to each other as siblings, not identical in appearance, with a different genotype and only 50% of the same genes.

Ultrasound diagnostics will not help in determining the zygosity of twins. Whether they are identical or not can only be determined with the help of a DNA test as a result of such studies as amniocentesis (checking amniotic fluid), chorion biopsy (taking chorion tissue) or cordocentesis (cord blood sampling).

Multiple pregnancy: numbers, records, history

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According to statistics, multiple pregnancy occurs in 1.5-2.5% of cases. And these are not only twins, but also triplets and so on. The record for multiple pregnancy was set at 1946: A woman from Brazil carried and gave birth to 10 children. And this is a big rarity, if you rely on medical statistics, which, to calculate the probability of multiple pregnancy, offers a formula with the number 80 exponentially: twin pregnancy occurs once in 80, triplets - once in 80 squared (that is, for 6400 pregnancies), quadruples - by 80 cubed (512,000), five by 80 to the 4th power (40,960,000) and so on.

The question of how twins are conceived has worried mankind since ancient times. According to Hippocrates, the twins appeared as a result of the division of the male seed in two, Democritus assured that an excess of the seed leads to multiple pregnancy, according to Aristotle, the twins were formed as a result of the splitting of one germ into two and was not far from the truth.

Why do some women get pregnant with twins and others don't?

This question is still open. There are several factors that increase the chance of multiple pregnancy.

Among them:

Heredity. If your great-grandfathers gave birth to twins, you have every chance to repeat their feat, since the likelihood of multiple pregnancy increases through the generation, as well as in families where the future father or mother (or both spouses) came from twins.
Multiple ovulation. Sometimes ovulation occurs in two ovaries at once. It is also possible for two eggs to be released from one ovary (superovulation) both as a result of hormonal stimulation and spontaneously.
ECO. If among natural pregnancies the percentage of multiples does not exceed 2-3%, then pregnancies with twins, triplets, etc. as a result of in vitro fertilization and other assisted reproductive technologies occur in 30-40% of cases.
Age . On average, after the age of 35, women increase the production of FSH, or follicle-stimulating hormone, which promotes multiple ovulation. As a result, the likelihood of having twins increases.
Pathologies of the structure of the reproductive organs. Owners of a bicornuate uterus often become carriers of multiple pregnancies.
Overweight. Fat is considered an endocrine organ and affects the production of estrogens, which stimulate the ovaries. Women with a body mass index above 30 are more likely to have multiple children. But it is also more difficult to bear due to the increased load on the body.
Frequent deliveries. With each new birth, mothers with many children have an increased chance of giving birth to twins.

Read more about factors that increase your chances of having multiple pregnancies here.

Multiple pregnancy - signs of multiple pregnancy. How to identify multiple pregnancy.

Many mothers or first children in the family want to have a younger sister or brother, but sometimes during pregnancy two fetuses can form in the egg. For the expectant mother herself, hearing about a multiple pregnancy is more often a kind of happiness, because the process of gestation and specifically childbirth is not the most pleasant moment of motherhood, but in cases with a multiple pregnancy, there will be two or more children at once.

Signs of multiple pregnancy.

Multiple pregnancy is more common in the animal world; for humans, the causes of this type of pregnancy are still not fully understood and not well understood.

Circumstances in which a multiple pregnancy occurs:

Several follicles appear in the ovary
A follicle may contain several eggs
Ovulation occurs in both ovaries

The reasons for the doubling of the occurrence of multiple pregnancies in women every year have not been studied, there are only some observations and assumptions:

Heredity and genetic predisposition in cases where there were already twins in the family.
After age 35, a woman may produce more than one egg during pregnancy.
The use of certain drugs to stimulate ovulation.
Extraorganic fertilization.

Identical and fraternal twins

Twinning occurs when two eggs are fertilized. Identical twins occur when an atypical crushing of an egg occurs. When divided into two parts of the egg, twins are obtained, more often they are same-sex children, opposite-sex children are a rare occurrence.

Modern diagnostics is able to accurately determine the location of the fetus and the fact of the development of multiple pregnancies. The number of multiple pregnancies and finding out identical or heterozygous babies is not always possible to diagnose due to various factors. Identical twins develop in a common placenta with a double septum, in adjoining or separated - fraternal twins.

Early multiple pregnancy

Many women and their companions are interested in the question of what gender the baby will be; multiple pregnancy at an early stage can be detected by palpation. You can visually prove the presence of one or another gender of the child and understand whether there are twins, triplets using ultrasound. The early signs of multiple pregnancy include: inexplicable fatigue, severe pressure in the lower abdomen, drowsiness, late toxicosis, shortness of breath, varicose veins, and also outwardly the belly of a pregnant woman is much larger than that of other average women. In fifty percent of cases, childbirth with multiple pregnancies is premature. A doctor can also determine a multiple pregnancy at an early stage by counting heart beats using the Doppler system, as well as using the AFP test (laboratory blood test).