5 Things You Need To Know Right Now About Your Multiple Pregnancy Double Happiness Multiplied

 

Order your pre-launch copy of the book DOUBLE HAPPINESS MULTIPLIED - What you need to know about having Twins, Triplets, & Quads HERE: 

https://www.doublehappinessmultiplied.com/twins-triplets-quads-book/



Welcome to Season One, Episode Two of the Double Happiness Multiplied podcast.

On this episode, we’re joined by Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialist Associate Professor Craig Pennell who will give us some tips on what you should be asking during your appointments with your Specialist or Obstetrician.

Sonographer Sam Ward explains what to expect at your ultrasound appointments at each stage of your pregnancy.

And, Hypnobirthing Practitioner and Birthing Doula Elyse Jamieson offers guidance about choosing the right support team for your pregnancy.

The shock

Finding out your expecting multiples can be quite a shock and can throw you into a world of confusion and anxiety. Knowing what questions to ask your obstetrician, midwife, or sonographer and when you should ask specific questions isn’t easy to navigate, especially for a first-time parent.

A few questions you’ll want to ask your obstetrician are:



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What type of placentation do my babies have?



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What tests and procedures will I have to have?



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What is your philosophy on delivering twins?



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How many multiples have you delivered in the past few years,



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And, how do I get in touch with you if needed?





To guide you further, Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialist Professor Craig Pennell has this advice:

The first question you should ask your Obstetrician is what do I have to do in a twin pregnancy that is different from a singleton pregnancy?

There are many things that are different in multiple pregnancies than in a singleton pregnancy, for example:



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You’ll be seen more frequently



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You’ll have more ultrasound scans



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The vitamin supplementation is a lot more important





Professor Pennell says the second question you should ask is what type of placenta do my multiples have, which means are your twins identical or non-identical?

“The risk in Dichorionic Diamniotic or non-identical twins, outside of prematurity, are very similar to singleton pregnancies,”

“Whereas, if you have identical twins, depending on the type, those risks can go up from a few per cent up to 20 or 30 per cent of pregnancies having adverse outcomes.

"So, you really want to know if you are a low-risk twin pregnancy, a moderate-risk twin pregnancy, or very high-risk twin pregnancy,” says Professor Pennell.

“You really want to know if you are a low-risk twin pregnancy, a moderate-risk twin pregnancy, or very high-risk twin pregnancy. The care that you will get and your expectations will be very different depending on what group you are in.”

Time of delivery

With modern obstetric care and based on the most recent data, most twin pregnancies are delivered by the end of their 37th week.

“With Dichorionic Diamniotic twins, if the woman hasn't gone into labour by 37-weeks, then they will be induced or they have a planned caesarean section,”

“The reason for that is the rate of stillbirth starts to increase dramatically.  That’s where that window of 37-weeks comes from,” says Associate Professor Pennell.

Recommended times to deliver twins:



* Dichorionic-Diamniotic twins – 37-weeks’ gestation.

* Monochorionic - twins 36-weeks’ gestation.

* Monoamniotic twins - 30-32 weeks or as early as 28...