Fertility and pregnancy * Babies and children
Multiple pregnancies
A multiple pregnancy happens when more than one baby is present in the womb. This occurs as the result of either more than one egg being fertilised by the sperm or one fertilised egg splitting after fertilisation.
Most pregnancies today resulting in three or more babies are due to using infertility drugs. Clomiphene is a popular drug used in women who have been unable to conceive. It causes the ovaries to produce several eggs which may then be fertilised during normal intercourse, or be removed and fertilised outside the body with the partners sperm, the `test tube' baby technique. The fertilised eggs are then returned to the womb in the hope that at least one will become implanted in the wall of the uterus. In some cases, a few fertilised eggs successfully implant resulting in a multiple pregnancy. In Leeds, in May 1993, sextuplets were born as a result of this technique!
In fertile couples the incidence of twins is 1 in 80 pregnancies, triplets 1 in 8,000, and quadruplets 1 in 73,000 pregnancies.
The more children you have, the greater your likelihood of producing twins.
Abnormal weight gain, or increase in size as well as excessive fetal movements, are common clues to the presence of a multiple pregnancy. The examining doctor will also detect the presence of more than one fetal heartbeat.
If you are expecting twins (or more!), take extra care of yourself. Take plenty of rest during the pregnancy, eat a well balanced diet, and you will probably be advised to take iron and folic acid tablets throughout the pregnancy.
It's vital that a multiple pregnancy mother attend her ante natal clinic regularly, because problems such as pre eclampsia and eclampsia (high blood pressure), polyhydramnios (excess fluid around the babies), haemorrhage and abnormally positioned babies are more common in multiple pregnancies. Prematurity is also a common problem, with the affected babies having a low birth weight.
Multiple pregnancies tend to be shorter than normal. For example, twin pregnancies tend to be on average about 21 days shorter. Although twins can be delivered vaginally, other multiple births tend to be via caesarean section.
Image © NiDerLander - Fotolia.com
Multiple Pregnancy
Multiple pregnancies
A multiple pregnancy happens when more than one baby is present in the womb. This occurs as the result of either more than one egg being fertilised by the sperm or one fertilised egg splitting after fertilisation.
Most pregnancies today resulting in three or more babies are due to using infertility drugs. Clomiphene is a popular drug used in women who have been unable to conceive. It causes the ovaries to produce several eggs which may then be fertilised during normal intercourse, or be removed and fertilised outside the body with the partners sperm, the `test tube' baby technique. The fertilised eggs are then returned to the womb in the hope that at least one will become implanted in the wall of the uterus. In some cases, a few fertilised eggs successfully implant resulting in a multiple pregnancy. In Leeds, in May 1993, sextuplets were born as a result of this technique!
In fertile couples the incidence of twins is 1 in 80 pregnancies, triplets 1 in 8,000, and quadruplets 1 in 73,000 pregnancies.
The more children you have, the greater your likelihood of producing twins.
Abnormal weight gain, or increase in size as well as excessive fetal movements, are common clues to the presence of a multiple pregnancy. The examining doctor will also detect the presence of more than one fetal heartbeat.
If you are expecting twins (or more!), take extra care of yourself. Take plenty of rest during the pregnancy, eat a well balanced diet, and you will probably be advised to take iron and folic acid tablets throughout the pregnancy.
It's vital that a multiple pregnancy mother attend her ante natal clinic regularly, because problems such as pre eclampsia and eclampsia (high blood pressure), polyhydramnios (excess fluid around the babies), haemorrhage and abnormally positioned babies are more common in multiple pregnancies. Prematurity is also a common problem, with the affected babies having a low birth weight.
Multiple pregnancies tend to be shorter than normal. For example, twin pregnancies tend to be on average about 21 days shorter. Although twins can be delivered vaginally, other multiple births tend to be via caesarean section.
This article was published on Mon 31 July 2006
Image © NiDerLander - Fotolia.com
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