I Am Having Twins, How Will This Affect My Prenatal Care, Labor, And Delivery?
Twins on average go to only 36 weeks pregnant, which is probably good since by then you are wondering if your belly can stretch any further. Another big plus, twins develop faster than a singleton pregnancy. A 34-week singleton born early would more than likely have trouble breathing on birth, while twins will likely come out screaming. This is likely due to the added stress on twins of fighting over mom’s nutrients.
Twin pregnancies have a higher risk of causing gestational diabetes for mom. They also require more close monitoring with monthly ultrasounds, to ensure equal growth of the both babies. Sometimes one tries to get more than its fair share of mom’s nutrients. We like to see no more than a 20% difference in fetal weight throughout the pregnancy. The Perinatologist will follow you throughout your pregnancy.
Concerning your delivery, if the presenting twin is head down or cephalic, vaginal delivery of two beautiful babies is a definite option. Most other physicians will just say you need a Cesarean Section. This is not how I was trained. I have delivered twins vaginally that were cephalic/breech and cephalic/cephalic. If the first twin is breech then you will likely need a Cesarean Section. Ultimately, the decision on how you wish to delivery is entirely up to you.