How to Tell if I M Having Twins in Early Pregnancy
What early signs mean I'm expecting twins?
A bigger than expected bump early on may be a sign of twin pregnancy (APA 2016, March of Dimes 2017, McAslan Fraser nd).
On the other hand, you may have conceived earlier than you calculated, meaning you're further on with your pregnancy than you thought.
If you've had a baby before, your bump is likely to get bigger, earlier on, in your pregnancy. This is because your womb (uterus) and tummy muscles will have been stretched by your first baby.
Gaining a lot of weight and feeling extremely tired may also be signs that you're expecting twins (APA 2016). Other signs of twins may be that you're suffering badly with nausea and vomiting (morning sickness) or that your breasts are very sore (March of Dimes 2017, McAslan Fraser nd).
But all of these signs and symptoms can be misleading, and none of them means for certain that you're expecting twins.
How can I find out for sure that I'm expecting twins?
An ultrasound scan is the only way to confirm that you're pregnant with twins (McAslan Fraser nd, NICE 2011).
The earliest you're likely to find out is between 10 weeks and 14 weeks, when you have your dating scan (McAslan Fraser nd, NHS 2019, NICE 2011).
Ultrasound is almost foolproof at diagnosing twins. However, if you're carrying more than two, it gets harder to tell how many babies you're expecting. The sonographer may struggle to tell your babies apart.
Your dating scan will also determine whether your due date is correct.
If you're pregnant as a result of a fertility treatment, you're usually offered an ultrasound scan at about six weeks to confirm that all is well (HFEA nd).
It's possible to see twins during an early pregnancy scan, though one baby may be missed because it is so early on. It is also very common for twins to be conceived, but for only one to develop (vanishing twin syndrome) (Anderson-Berry and Zach 2016).
You may also be offered an earlier scan if you've experienced bleeding. Bleeding or spotting is very common in multiple pregnancies (McAslan Fraser nd). It doesn't necessarily mean that there is a problem, but it is important to get it checked out.
Where can I find more support and information?
The Twins Trust provides information and support for parents and parents-to-be of multiples. You can call their helpline on 0800 138 0509.
The Multiple Births Foundation supports and provides information for families with twins and the professionals who care for them.
Take our quiz to find out if you're ready for twins.
References
Anderson-Berry AL, Zach T. 2016. Vanishing twin syndrome. Medscape. emedicine.medscape.com [Accessed June 2019]
APA. 2016. Signs & symptoms of multiple pregnancy. American Pregnancy Association. americanpregnancy.org [Accessed June 2019]
HFEA. nd. Risks of fertility treatment. Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority. www.hfea.gov.uk [Accessed June 2019]
March of Dimes. 2017. Being pregnant with twins, triplets and other multiples. www.marchofdimes.org [Accessed June 2019]
McAslan Fraser E. nd. Expecting twins, triplets or more: the healthy multiple pregnancy guide. Tamba (Twins & Multiple Births Association). www.tamba.org.uk [Accessed June 2019]
NHS. 2019. Antenatal care with twins. Health A-Z. www.nhs.uk [Accessed June 2019]
NICE. 2011. Multiple pregnancy: antenatal care for twin and triplet pregnancies. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. CG129. www.nice.org.uk [Accessed June 2019]
Francesca Whiting is an editor at BabyCentre. She's responsible for making sure BabyCentre's health content is accurate, helpful and easy to understand.
How to Tell if I M Having Twins in Early Pregnancy
Source: https://www.babycentre.co.uk/a539826/when-will-i-know-if-im-having-twins