Types of Multiple Pregnancies

Introduction:

Any pregnancy in which women expect more than one child at once is called a multiple pregnancy. Twins are when women are carrying two infants. Triplets are three children delivered in one pregnancy. High-order multiples are births that are more than three at once. A multiple pregnancy often carries greater risks than a singleton pregnancy (pregnant with just one baby).

What Causes Multiple Pregnancies?

Multiple pregnancies happen when many embryos implant in the uterus (womb). This could occur:

• If one's body produces more than one egg all along the course of the menstrual cycle and a sperm fertilizes each egg

• Two identical embryos are produced when the fertilized egg divides into two.

The prevalence of multiple pregnancies has increased. This is primarily due to the rise in in vitro fertilization (IVF) use. The fertility drugs used in IVF frequently result in the release of several eggs from the ovaries. Multiple fertilized embryos may occasionally be transplanted into the uterus during IVF. This might lead to several pregnancies. A multiple pregnancy may also develop if one of the transplanted eggs divides into two. Thus, twins are produced.

The likelihood of releasing more than one egg at ovulation increases for women over 35. This implies that the likelihood of having non-identical twins increases as women age. The likelihood of a woman having multiple pregnancies increases if her mother's side of the family has a pattern of non-identical twins. There is no history of identical twins in any family.

What Are the Types of Multiple Pregnancies?

The following are the few types of multiple pregnancies:

1. Fraternal Twins: The uterus receives the two fertilized eggs separately. The kids are:

• Siblings.

• Have a common uterus.

• May appear comparable or different.

• Maybe of different genders (a boy and a girl) or the same gender (two girls or two boys).

A pregnancy with fraternal twins carries the lowest risk of all multiple pregnancies. This is because every infant has a unique placenta and amniotic sac. Fraternal twins are occasionally referred to as "dizygotic" twins. This means two zygotes (fertilized eggs).

2. Identical Twins: When a single fertilized egg divides into two, identical twins are created.

The babies have the same DNA since each embryo is genetically similar. That implies that many of their infants' traits will be shared. Even identical twins may have very different appearances. This is because the environment also affects how they look like.

Twins that are identical could have :

• The same amniotic sac and placenta - Monochorionic monoamniotic twins (MCMA).

• A common placenta but individual amniotic sacs - Monochorionic diamniotic twins (MCDA).

• Their amniotic sac and placenta - Dichorionic diamniotic twins (DCDA).

The term "monozygotic" is occasionally used to describe identical twins. This alludes to a single fertilized egg or zygote.

3. Higher Order Multiples (HOMs) and Triplets: Multiples that include identical and fraternal multiples can be combined to form triplets, quadruplets, quintuplets, sextuplets, or more.

Triplets, for instance, can be:

• Fraternal (trizygotic) develops from three separate fertilized eggs that implant in the uterus.

• The same happens when one egg splits into three embryos.

• A mixture of identical and fraternal children.

Which Symptoms Indicate a Multiple Pregnancy?

A prenatal ultrasound examination with a physician is the only way to determine if a woman carries more than one baby. The physician can verify the number of babies inside the womb during this exam by looking at interior pictures.

A multiple pregnancy could result in more severe symptoms than a single pregnancy. These may consist of:

• Morning sickness, or extreme nausea and vomiting.

• Pregnancy's first trimester is marked by rapid weight gain.

• Very sensitive or sore breasts.

• A pregnancy test detects high levels of the hormone human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) produced during pregnancy.

• Alpha-fetoprotein levels in the blood are high.

• If a number of heartbeats is found during a fetal Doppler scan in addition to an ultrasound, the physician may consider multiples.

What Are the Risks Associated With Multiple Births?

The risks associated with multiple pregnancies include the following:

• Premature Labor and Delivery: These are the most frequent problems associated with multiple births. Multiples-pregnant women are likelier than single-baby mothers to experience premature labor (before 37 weeks). Many multiples mothers set a goal of finishing 37 weeks. Achieving this week of pregnancy, considered a term in twin pregnancies, enhances the likelihood that the infants will be delivered healthily and at a healthy weight. Low birth weight is another issue of multiple births that can affect prematurely born babies.

• Preeclampsia or Pregnant Hypertension: Hypertension is the medical term for excessive blood pressure. The healthcare practitioner will closely monitor the blood pressure level during pregnancy to ensure gestational hypertension (high blood pressure during pregnancy) does not occur. Preeclampsia is a risky condition that can result from this. Relative to women expecting a single child, women carrying multiple experience complications from high blood pressure twice as frequently. Additionally, this issue affects multiple pregnancies more severely than singleton pregnancies and occurs earlier in pregnancy.

• Gestational Diabetes: Pregnancy can cause the development of diabetes. This occurs as a result of the placenta's enhanced hormone production. The placenta's size may also play a role in this disorder. Insulin resistance is exacerbated if someone has two placentas.

• Placenta Abruption: This disorder develops when the placenta separates from the uterine wall before delivery. This is a life-threatening circumstance. Women who are expecting multiples are more likely to experience placenta abruption.

• Fetal Growth Restriction: This disorder is sometimes called small for gestational age (SGA) or intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). When one or more of one's infants are not developing at the appropriate rate, this problem develops. Due to this disorder, the babies could be delivered early or with low birth weight. This issue arises in over half of multi-baby pregnancies.

Conclusion:

The regular pregnancy discomforts may be more severe for mothers of multiples. To lessen pregnancy strains, taking excellent care of oneself while getting sufficient rest is crucial. In some circumstances, one may need to locate a medical professional with knowledge of multiple births. With the help of advanced medical care, the mother and unborn children can receive the greatest care possible.