getting back from When you discover that you re pregnant with multiples, it s often surprising and even a bit stressful! Whether you re carrying two babies or destined to deliver triplets or quadruplets, your pregnancy will be a bit different than if you were carrying a single baby but you re in good company. Multiple births are more common these days since more women take fertility drugs. These medications increase the odds of giving birth to multiple babies. Now, let s look at what to expect if you re pregnant with multiples. Your Pregnancy Symptoms May Be More Severe If you re carrying more than one baby, you have higher levels of a hormone called human chorionic gonadotrphin (hCG) in your bloodstream. This can cause some of your pregnancy symptoms to be more pronounced, particularly morning sickness. You also may experience more soreness in your breasts and fatigue than if you were carrying a single baby. When you visit your doctor, they may notice that your fundal height, how large your uterus measures, is greater than expected. They may detect more than one heartbeat using ultrasound. Although these are all possible signs and symptoms of carrying multiples, but the only way to know for sure is with an ultrasound. You re at Higher Risk of Complications If you re pregnant with multiples, your risk of certain pregnancy-related complications is a bit higher. Some conditions you have a greater risk of include: Miscarriage or stillbirth Delivering early or giving birth to small babies Gestational diabetes high blood sugars during pregnancy Gestational hypertension elevated blood pressure during pregnancy Anemia low red blood cell count Polyhydramnio Too much amniotic fluid surrounding your babies Severe morning sickness Placental abruption separation of the placenta from the uterus Likelihood of requiring a Caesarian section Higher risk of birth defects for one or more of your babies The more babies you re carrying, the greater the risk of complications. If you re carrying triplets, your risk is higher than if you have twins on the horizon. You ll Need to Adjust Your Nutrition If you re carrying more than one baby, you need more of some nutrients, particularly iron and folic acid. Your health care provider will prescribe a prenatal vitamin for you and be sure to take it consistently. You ll also need to gain more weight than if you re carrying a single baby. Talk to your health care provider about how much weight you should gain. It will depend on how many babies you re carrying and how much you weighed before you became pregnant. You May Have Activity Restrictions Assuming your pregnancy is uncomplicated, it s usually okay to exercise when you re pregnant with a single baby but if you re carrying two or more, you may need to curtail certain activities, particularly high-impact exercise. It s important to stay active but talk to your health care provider about what activities are appropriate for you. As you get into the later stages of pregnancy, you may have to further limit your activities and avoid standing for long periods of time as well. In some cases, you may be restricted to bed rest. You ll Need Close Monitoring Because you and your babies are at higher risk of complications, you ll need to see your obstetrician more often than you would if you were carrying a single baby. Since you re carrying more than one baby, your pregnancy is considered high risk. Depending on how your babies are situated, a vaginal delivery may be possible if you re carrying twins. However, if you re bringing more than two babies into the world, it s likely you ll need a cesarean section. The Bottom Line Yes, being pregnant with multiples is more stressful but once they arrive you can look forward to double, triple, or quadruple the fun! References: American Pregnancy Association. Signs & Symptoms Of Multiple Pregnancy ReproductiveFacts.org. Multiple Pregnancy and Birth: Twins, Triplets, and High-order Multiples is making an attempt
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