Any pregnancy can be an exciting time for both the expectant mother and her family. The thought of being pregnant with twins can bring double excitement or double fears--or even a combination of both. Prior to the development of ultrasound machines to detect multiple pregnancies, a woman would have to wait until the birth to be certain how many children she would have. Before your first ultrasound tells you for sure, some of your signs and symptoms might indicate a twin pregnancy.
High hCG Levels
Human chorionic gonadotropin (hGC) is the hormone produced during pregnancy, and hCG levels are determined by a specialized blood test. Higher levels of hCG--based on the recommended serum hCG levels for each week of pregnancy--often indicate a multiple pregnancy, such as twins.
Larger Uterus
With a pregnancy consisting of twins, the uterus is required to expand twice the size of a singular pregnancy. The extra room is needed to allow both fetuses to grow at a normal rate without any restrictions. In the early stages of a twin pregnancy, the uterus may measure larger. Because a larger uterus also can indicate that the woman may be further along in the pregnancy than originally thought, the only method to confirm a twin pregnancy is by ultrasound.
Increased Morning Sickness
Morning sickness is a normal occurrence during pregnancy. When a pregnant woman is experiencing nausea or vomiting constantly with very little relief, it is highly possible that she may be pregnant with twins. The hormones associated with pregnancy can affect the stomach and intestines and cause irritation. Also, the demand on the woman's body can cause blood glucose levels to drop, which is a common cause of morning sickness. For someone pregnant with twins, the additional hormones and demand that the extra fetus provides can increase this effect.
Increased Hunger
The demand that a single-fetus pregnancy provides is enough to leave an expectant mother hungry more often. With a twin pregnancy, the demand doubles, and so does the hunger. The mother's body is furnishing nutrition to both the fetuses as well as herself, and in order to keep her body from going into starvation mode, additional calories must be taken in. This need for additional calories transforms into an increased hunger for the mother.
References
- The Labor of Love: Signs of a Twin Pregnancy
- "Taking Charge of Your Fertility"; Toni Welcher; 2006
- University of Virginia: Multiple Pregnancies
