How does an expectant mother know if she is pregnant with twins?

Many people want to have twins, but if there is no one in the family who has had multiple births, the chance will naturally be lower. How do you know if you are pregnant with twins? There are many tests that can tell you, the most obvious of which is of course an ultrasound test, which can immediately tell whether you are pregnant with twins.

How to identify twin and multiple pregnancies

Higher HCG hormone: Human chorionic gonadotropin is a hormone used to detect pregnancy. It can be detected around 10 days into pregnancy and will increase rapidly in the first 10 weeks. The HCG value of twins will be higher.

Doppler system: A Doppler system uses harmless sound waves to amplify the baby's heart sounds. An experienced doctor can usually detect more than one heartbeat, but can sometimes be misled by background noise.

Excessive morning sickness: About 50% of pregnant women will experience morning sickness during pregnancy, and the same is true for pregnant with multiple babies. But this does not mean that their symptoms will be doubled. Only about 15% of mothers report that morning sickness is intensified when pregnant with multiple babies.

More weight gain: A multiple pregnancy causes the mother to grow larger, so she will also gain weight. How much weight a woman will gain depends on her height, body shape, and weight during pregnancy. Usually, a pregnancy with multiples will increase the weight by about 4.5 kg.

AFP Screening: AFP screening is a second-trimester blood test that checks for an increased risk of certain birth defects. Pregnancies with multiples will often have very high or positive results.

The uterus is very enlarged: During pregnancy, doctors usually measure the height of the uterine fundus to determine the gestational age of the fetus. In mothers who are pregnant with multiples, the uterus may be enlarged beyond the range of a single pregnancy.

Early and frequent fetal movements: Many pregnant women with multiples experience more frequent or earlier fetal movements, but there is considerable disagreement among medical professionals. Regardless of the number of fetuses, fetal movements are a way for mothers and babies to connect.

Feeling extremely tired: This is the most common complaint in multiple pregnancies. During the first three months, your body will feel more sleepy, tired, and tired because it is nurturing more than one baby. Fatigue can also be caused by stress, work, or poor nutrition.

Family history and premonitions: Although most tests provide visible evidence, such as exaggerated symptoms and abnormal test results, the pregnant woman’s premonitions and family history are indicators that cannot be ignored.

Ultrasound confirmation: Through ultrasound examination, you can clearly see whether there are more than two babies in your belly. No matter what signs and symptoms you have, seeing is believing, and ultrasound examination is the fastest way to know.

Common difficulties in raising multiple babies

Feeding babies: Many caregivers have this problem when they first take care of twins. It is easy to confuse which baby is being fed. And it is easy for twins to cry as soon as one finishes eating, or they cry at the same time, which is tiring.

The amount of diapers used is large: Since there are more than two babies using diapers, the amount of diapers used is calculated in multiples, so many parents of twins will consider using a lot of low-cost diapers.

It is difficult to breastfeed: Two babies are drinking breast milk, so it is difficult to have an adequate supply of breast milk. In addition, when two babies cry at the same time, they cannot be breastfed at the same time, so bottle feeding is necessary.

Try to dress the twins the same: Many parents like to dress the twins the same, so they need to prepare two identical sets of clothes. And don’t prepare only one set of things, because the two will quarrel over it.

All expenses doubled: Raising a child is already expensive, and now with two or more children, the expenses are of course doubled. Therefore, parents of multiple children need to earn more money to provide for their children.