Twin pregnancy, or carrying two or more babies at the same time in a single pregnancy, requires more careful prenatal care than usual because it means taking care of more than one baby in the womb. Preparing well for the health of both the mother and the babies is therefore very important.
How many types of twin pregnancies are there?
Twin pregnancies are divided into 2 types: identical twins and fraternal twins.
- Identical twins are twins that come from the same egg. It is not a matter of genetics but occurs after a sperm fertilizes an egg and the fertilized egg splits, resulting in twins of the same sex who look alike (in the case of a single egg, it cannot be determined at which stage the embryo will split).
- Fraternal twins are twins that come from 1 egg + 1 sperm = 1 person and another 1 egg + 1 sperm = 1 person fertilized at the same time and sharing the same womb. This type of pregnancy is similar to a single pregnancy but with two babies who are different individuals, having separate organs such as separate umbilical cords and separate amniotic sacs.
The health of the two types of twin pregnancies
- Fraternal twins usually do not have many problems, but the babies may be smaller due to limited space in the womb, which increases the chance of premature birth.
- Identical twins share one placenta but have two babies. Since the placenta is important for delivering nutrients to the babies, there may be problems with uneven nutrient distribution, where one baby receives too much and the other too little. This can result in one baby being larger and the other smaller, or one baby may suffer from malnutrition and die. In such cases, a cesarean section must be performed early to save the other baby.
Effects on the mother during a twin pregnancy
- Usually experiences more severe morning sickness than normal.
- Anemia: Mothers carrying twins have a higher chance of anemia than those with a single pregnancy because the body has to support two babies simultaneously.
- High blood pressure and preeclampsia: The first twin pregnancy has a risk of severe preeclampsia up to 5 times higher than a single pregnancy.
- Excess amniotic fluid or polyhydramnios: Amniotic fluid exceeds 2 liters, which occurs in only 1% of single pregnancies but up to 12% in twin pregnancies, 10 times more than single pregnancies. Excess amniotic fluid is also associated with premature labor, premature placental abruption, and postpartum hemorrhage.
- Discomfort and difficulty moving due to increased weight, such as back pain, leg pain, inability to walk, shortness of breath, varicose veins, and hemorrhoids, which occur more frequently than in single pregnancies.
Why is natural delivery not preferred for twin pregnancies?
Normally, in a single pregnancy, the baby can be delivered naturally if positioned head down. However, in twin pregnancies, natural delivery is not preferred because after the first baby is born, the second baby may turn or flip inside the womb. To prevent harm to the babies, natural delivery is usually not possible.
How should mothers with twin pregnancies take care of themselves?
During pregnancy, mothers need to eat twice as much food. Besides eating all five food groups, they must also focus on nutritional value, especially protein and calcium, because the amounts needed are twice as much as in a single pregnancy.
