Multiple Pregnancy
High Risk Pregnancy
Multiple pregnancy - an overview
Pregnancy with more than one baby is called multiple pregnancy. Multiple births are rising these days due to fertility treatments. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, births have been a 70% rise since 1980. Several factors increase the chance of multiple pregnancies, such as pregnancy at older age and fertility treatments like IVF. However, there are a few complications associated with multiple pregnancies, such as preeclampsia, premature birth, or foetal growth restriction.
Multiple pregnancies require specialised maternal and foetal care. Dr Lida Anwari has extensive expertise in foetal maternal medicine and provides exceptional and tailored care for multiple pregnancies. As a renowned Obstetrician and gynaecologist in Dubai, she is committed to supporting high-risk pregnancies with individualised treatment and compassionate care.
Multiple Pregnancy - How does it happen?
Multiple pregnancy happens in two ways,
- When the fertilised egg splits before it's implanted in the uterine lining
- When different sperms fertilise two or more eggs at the same time.
The above two types result in either fraternal or identical siblings. Identical twins or triplets happen when a single egg is fertilised and split into two identical embryos. Children will look similar and have the same sex.
Fraternal siblings happen when separate eggs are fertilised by different sperm. Since the egg and sperm are different, children don’t look identical and may be of other sex.
What are the causes of multiple pregnancies?
- If you have a family history of multiple pregnancies, it increases the chance of having multiple births.
- If you're above 30 years old, the body starts releasing multiple eggs at the time of ovulation, and you're likely to have multiple pregnancies.
- Taking ovulation-stimulating medicines such as FSH or Follicle-stimulating hormone and clomiphene citrate can produce more eggs, resulting in multiple pregnancies.
- Assisted reproductive technology, or IVF treatment often uses ovulation-stimulating medicine to produce multiple eggs. Here, more than one fertilised egg is transferred into your uterus to increase the chance of successful pregnancy.
Can multiple pregnancy tests be wrong?
Most of us have a query: Can multiple pregnancy tests be wrong? You may not believe it, But it happens in multiple pregnancies. A general home urine test may show negative results if you’re pregnant with twins or more babies. It occurs due to two reasons,
False-negative
The test shows negative even if you’re pregnant. This happens when you test too early or if your hCG levels are very high, which is higher in multiple pregnancies.
False-positive
The test shows positive when you’re not pregnant. It happens when you take any medicines, specific medical conditions or if you had a miscarriage recently.
If you’re confused with the pregnancy results, seeking advice from a renowned obstetrician and gynaecologist is better.
What are the symptoms of multiple pregnancy?
You might have intense symptoms in multiple pregnancies compared to a single pregnancy. Some of the common symptoms are,
- Severe morning sickness and nausea
- Swift weight gain in the first trimester
- Tender breasts
- High hCG levels
- High amount of alpha-fetoprotein in the blood
Typically, ultrasound scans detect multiple pregnancies. Apart from ultrasound scans, fetal Doppler scan detects multiple pregnancies in the early stage.
What are the complications of multiple pregnancy?
Multiple pregnancy is exciting but there is an increased risk of complications that require immediate medical advice.
A few complications are,
Preterm labor and birth – More than 60% of multiple pregnancy babies are born before 37 weeks. Premature babies have low birth weights and find it difficult to breathe, eat, stay warm, and fight infection.
Gestational hypertension – women with multiple fetuses develop hypertension and inrease the chance of placental abruption.
Anemia – anemia is common in multiple pregnancies
Birth defects – multiple birth babies have increased risk of congenital abnormalities like neural tube defects, heart problems, and gastrointestinal problems.
Misscarriage – vanishing twin syndrome is common in multiple pregnancies where one fetus is vanished or miscarried in the first trimester.
Here, a fetal medicine specialist Dr Lida Anwari treats any ailment or high-risk scenario that threatens the safety of mother or the fetus.
How do you manage multiple pregnancies?
- Mothers with multiple babies need more proteins, calories, and other nutrients. Doctors recommend an appropriate weight gain and nutrition diet.
- Multiple pregnancies increase complications, so frequent prenatal visits ensure effective treatment.
- Consult a foetal-maternal medicine specialist like Dr Lida for evaluation and personalised care.
- Some women require bed rest or reduced activity to prevent preterm birth.
- To prevent preterm birth, doctors recommend tocolytic medicine to reduce or stop the contractions.
- Lung maturity is a common problem for premature babies, causing breathing issues. Corticosteroid injections help to mature the lungs of the foetuses.
Why seek a fetal medicine specialist in Dubai?
A pregnancy requires regular check up, prenatal care, and a healthy lifestyle. Whether it’s normal or high-risk pregnancy, a fetal medicine specialist Dr Lida Anwari can help go a long way delivering happiness.
With a comprehensive and holistic approach, she is responsible for fetal care, mother’s care, and complete delivery process.
Using the advanced diagnostic ultrasound, NT scan, visibility scan, counselling, and management of multiple pregnancies to efficiently monitor the health of mother and baby. She identifies the complications early and provides necessary medical support through the pregnancy period.
Why choose a fetal medicine specialist over Obgyn?
Fetal medicine specialist Dr Lida provides extra comfort during pregnancy and overcomes challenging situations.
- She monitors the health of mother and fetus
- Manage any unexpected maternal medical complications
- Treat pregnancies with obstetric complications
- Handle c-section or normal delivery
- Ensure post delivery support and care
- Identify the risk factors for future pregnancies.
Consulting Dr Lida, fetal medicine specialist will help you achieve a relaxed and healthy pregnancy.
Manage multiple pregnancy with Dr Lida - the experienced fetal medicine specialist in Dubai.
Dr Lida Anwari, consultant maternal-fetal medicine specialist, manages high-risk pregnancies with successful outcomes. With appropriate prenatal care, she reduces the risk of complications and ensures a safe pregnancy, she has managed many triplets in her carriers successfully.
Comprehensive care is critically important for both mother and baby. Dr. Lida provides foetal and maternal care with safe and effective treatment plans.
Happy Pregnancy with Dr Lida! Schedule an appointment or call us today.
FAQ
Preterm birth is a common complication of multiple pregnancies. Apart from preterm birth, other complications include preeclampsia, high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, placenta abruption, and foetal growth restriction.
Caesarean birth or C-section delivery is higher in multiple pregnancies. Vaginal delivery is possible in a few cases. The delivery depends on the number of babies, their position, weight, and baby’s health.
Yes, but it takes time. Eat healthy food and drink plenty of liquids to increase the milk supply. Consult lactation specialists to help you solve any issues related to breastfeeding.