Pregnancy of twins is most often determined by ultrasound. Already at 5-6 weeks of pregnancy, this method of diagnosis can accurately say that the babies will be born two. However, there are first signs that a woman can herself suspect a twin pregnancy:
- toxicosis, which is more pronounced than in pregnant women by one child (as a rule, it occurs in the morning and is accompanied not only by nausea, but also by vomiting);
- the mammary glands grow stronger, and touching them becomes more painful than with normal pregnancy;
- very severe fatigue, arising from the first months of pregnancy and increasing in the second trimester, often even light physical exertions accompanied by shortness of breath;
- rapid and significant increase in weight, weight begins to increase almost from the first month;
- a rapidly growing abdomen, because two babies need more space, and in case of multiple pregnancy, the stomach becomes noticeable at earlier times;
- heredity, if there were twins in the family, the chances of a twin's birth in such parents are increasing.
Almost all these signs partly repeat signs of usual pregnancy by one child, but amplify twice, after all detok too two.
How to determine pregnancy twins?
In addition to the woman's inner sensations, there are still symptoms in which the doctor can suggest twins in a pregnant woman:
- too large sizes of the uterus, not corresponding to the expected duration of pregnancy;
- a sharp increase in hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin - a pregnancy hormone), with multiple pregnancies it grows at an accelerated rate;
- Increased protein content of alpha fetoprotein (AFP test, which includes
screening for pregnancy); - beating of two hearts, which the doctor can hear on examination;
- listening to the heartbeat of the fetus with the help of the Doppler system (however, this method does not give one hundred percent guarantee, since the second sound of the heartbeat can talk about background noises or be just the mother's heartbeat).
All these signs, combined with the feelings and well-being of the expectant mother, obtained through a detailed survey, give the doctor reason to presume a multiple pregnancy. In this case, ultrasound is always prescribed, because today it is the surest way to determine and / or confirm a multiple pregnancy.