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Multiple Issues
The Risks Associated with Twin Pregnancies
By Melinda Copp
As if most pregnancies weren't surprise enough, for some lucky parents, that first ultrasound reveals they're carrying two (or more) babies. That's right – instant family and double the love. Unfortunately, multiples aren't always a free bonus – they come with some heavier risks than single pregnancies.
The more babies you're carrying, the greater chance you have for experiencing complications such as miscarriage, premature birth, gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia, anemia, Cesarean delivery and postpartum hemorrhage.
"No matter what friends, family, strangers might say, a multiple pregnancy is different from a singleton and needs to be treated as such," says Paula Johnson, a mom of 4-year-old twin daughters who lives in Washington, Ill. "I've been pregnant with twins twice; we lost the first set at 19 weeks, spent the entire pregnancy on bed rest with the second set and delivered at 26 weeks."
That does not mean that all multiple pregnancies will have complications, but it's a good idea to be informed and know all the risks just in case.
"Many factors can contribute to preterm labor, but we don't know all the reasons," says Dr. Robert Atlas, chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, Md. Vaginal bleeding, cervical changes and infections are all risk factors, but preterm labor is sometimes tricky to spot.
You should talk to your doctor about how to know if you are experiencing preterm labor. The symptoms include pelvic pressure, lower back ache, menstrual-like cramps and possibly diarrhea. Early symptoms of preterm labor often are hard to diagnose because they are often mistaken for Braxton-Hicks contractions.
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