Why are the weights of twins different? All about multiple pregnancies - how to carry twins without problems? How much do 7 month old twins weigh at birth?

Expectant mothers are always very interested in what weight their baby will be born with. Therefore, they are keenly interested in how much the baby weighs while still in the womb. This question is also important for doctors. Although the weight of the fetus is called estimated, even it allows you to learn a lot about the development of the baby. What is the usual weight of a baby in the mother’s womb during different periods of pregnancy and what does it depend on, we will tell you in this material.

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How is the baby growing?

At the very beginning of pregnancy, all babies, regardless of gender, race, heredity, grow exactly the same, adding millimeters and grams to their tiny weight weekly. All embryos grow at approximately the same speed, and only then, when the individual characteristics of the little person begin to appear, differences begin to appear.

It is possible to measure fetal growth even with the most modern ultrasound machine. only in the second half of the first trimester. Up to 8 weeks, only the diameter of the fetal egg is measured, and this criterion is considered the main one, indicating the growth of the embryo.

The dimensions of the baby itself are not yet available for measurements, the only exception being coccyx-parietal size, but it does not provide a basis for calculating the weight of the embryo.

You can talk about the weight of the fetus for the first time when passing ultrasound examination, starting from 11 weeks. It is at this time that the first differences between babies begin to appear - some babies are larger, others are smaller. At 7-8 weeks the baby weighs about 3 grams, but this is so small that the weight has no diagnostic value.

This table is compiled without taking into account the gender of the child. Some specialists who want to achieve the greatest accuracy in situations where the method of delivery depends on the expected weight and others important questions, use tables developed by doctors from Germany to measure the weight of children of European appearance in the early 90s of the last century. It is compiled taking into account the gender of the fetus.

Table of normal values ​​for the expected weight of babies of different sexes:

Obstetric period, weeks

Estimated weight of a male fetus, permissible fluctuations (grams)

Estimated weight of a female fetus, permissible fluctuations (grams)

670 (460 – 860)

1080 (690 – 1360)

1220 (750- 1520)

1120 (710 – 1460)

1350 (830 – 1710)

1250 (790 -1650)

1520 (940 – 1910)

1690 (1070 – 2110)

1890 (1200 – 2360)

2130 (1360 – 2690)

2390 (1600 – 3000)

2640 (1870 – 3320)

2860 (2140 -3550)

3090 (2400 – 3770)

2970 (2290 – 3650)

3300 (2620 – 4000)

3160 (2500 – 3850)

3470 (2760 – 4180)

3320 (2670 – 4020)

3600 (2910 -4350)

3450 (2800 – 4180)

It is no coincidence that the German tables, which are used all over the world, begin at 23 weeks of pregnancy. It is at this time that children of different sexes begin to develop bodies according to gender characteristics, which is why weight gain in boys and girls begins to differ from each other. At earlier stages, this difference between babies of different sexes is not present, or it is not expressed clearly enough and remains unnoticed for diagnosis.

Deviations from normal values

It is considered normal if a child is born at 39-40 weeks with a weight from 3000 to 3800 g. However, those babies who are born weighing up to 3 kilograms, and those who weigh more than 4.5 kg at birth, have neonatologists are not concerned.

Obstetricians urge expectant mothers not to panic about the difference in the numbers presented in the reference tables and their real numbers.

Firstly, you should always make an allowance for error (plus or minus 500 g at a minimum), and secondly, babies grow in leaps and bounds, so at 34 weeks the baby can upset the mother by lagging behind the average statistical norms, and by 36 weeks reach normal average value or even approach the upper limit of normal.

If the baby persistently exceeds the norm throughout all ultrasound examinations during pregnancy, they speak of a large fetus. The trend towards a larger baby can be noticed already in the second trimester. Such a conclusion cannot be made based on ultrasound alone. several studies are required over several weeks.

At the same time, pay attention to instrumental measurements - abdominal circumference expectant mother and the height of the uterus. With a large fetus, the GMD usually exceeds the norm (at 32 weeks, when the norm is 32 cm, for example, this parameter is increased to 34 cm, and at 36 weeks, instead of the required 36 cm, it is about 39 centimeters).

If the baby in the mother’s womb noticeably lags behind the average values ​​and, over the course of several diagnostic measurements, “passes” only at the lowest limit of the norm (5th percentile), then doctors prescribe an additional examination, the purpose of which is to identify the consistency of the uteroplacental blood flow, possible pathologies of the fetus, including hereditary and chromosomal, delay intrauterine development, the presence or absence of intrauterine infections, Rh conflict.

To do this, they perform expert-class ultrasound, ultrasonography, do tests for infections, and perform clinical blood and urine tests. If necessary, the woman is sent for consultation with a geneticist and invasive diagnostics for the detection of chromosomal abnormalities.

Whether to agree to such measures is up to the expectant mother to decide, especially since modern medicine is ready to provide a harmless but expensive alternative to invasive diagnostic methods - a prenatal DNA test using blood from the mother’s vein.

A woman with suspected fetal malnutrition is prescribed regular monitoring After monitoring the baby’s condition using cardiotography (CTG), additional treatment is prescribed (sometimes in a hospital), which includes taking vitamins and medications to improve uteroplacental blood flow. The estimated weight of the baby is monitored using intermediate ultrasound examinations.

Lagging behind the norms is not considered particularly dangerous if all the baby’s parameters are reduced symmetrically. Then this may be a variant of the norm, an anatomical feature of this child.

Starting from 7 months of pregnancy, the baby’s weight is not only a subject of burning curiosity for expectant mothers, but also important information for obstetricians. Based on general data about pregnancy and the approximate weight of the baby, they draw conclusions about the best way to bring the child into the world.

Reliability of determination and errors

As mentioned above, the most accurate method for determining the expected weight of the baby in the mother’s womb using ultrasound is considered. According to data received by American doctors from Florida, the error in the Hadlock calculation was approximately 14% of the baby’s body weight. In other words, the real mass differed from that predicted by the apparatus by 14% in one direction or another. This is the highest result to date.

The methods that obstetricians used before the widespread use of ultrasound, formulas and measurements are practically not used today, because there is no need for them. To obtain information about the possible body weight of the baby, you do not need to calculate anything. A computer program will help you calculate everything. The accuracy of the formulas (presented above and some others) is estimated at approximately 40-55%. Whereas with ultrasound, the accuracy of assessing a child’s body weight is almost 82%.

The most accurate method, as gynecologists like to say, is weighing. Therefore, those who want to find out how much the child weighs in grams just need to be patient and wait for the birth. They will answer this question with complete accuracy. All other methods resemble fortune telling. The size of the baby’s bones and head, even on an ultrasound, can indicate weight only indirectly, because there are children with long legs(like mom), but thin or with a big head (like dad).

Doctors themselves claim that the accuracy of determining fetal weight can be affected by the quality of visualization during ultrasound. If a woman is overweight, has extra pounds, or fat deposits on her stomach, then the error will increase. If a woman's pregnancy occurs against the background of oligohydramnios, the likelihood of a more significant error than 14% of body weight also increases. It is more difficult to calculate the weight of babies during pregnancy with twins, especially over long periods, because the limbs of one baby on an ultrasound can easily be mistaken for the limbs of another, as a result of which a significant error can creep into the predictions of the babies’ body weight.

If a child has developmental pathologies (hydrocephalus, microcephaly, gastroschisis), it is difficult to determine his expected weight, because the dimensions important for drawing up mathematical equations will not reflect the child’s real weight.

Congratulate me - I recently became a mother for the second time. Or the third? In general, this is the second birth, and now there are three children. The fact is that my second pregnancy brought me two daughters at once. This happens in about 1 case out of 50 and is due to various factors. My case is due to several reasons.

Why will I have twins - I understand the reasons for multiple pregnancies

If the list of reasons does not include one that might be right for you, this does not mean that something is wrong. The female body has its own plans, and twins can be born even to someone who does not expect it at all.

Causes:

• Heredity – the tendency to have twins is most often transmitted through the female line through a generation; My grandmother's sisters were twins.
• Taking hormonal contraceptives , or rather, stopping taking it. Sometimes women who cannot get pregnant on their own are prescribed such drugs, since after they stop taking them, the likelihood of conception increases several times. But sometimes it happens by accident, as in my case.
• Age . It is known that women over 30 are more likely to carry twins. This happens due to the fact that ovulation no longer occurs “clockwise”, as at 20 or even 25 years old. And the ovaries produce several eggs at a time.
• ECO . During in vitro fertilization, a woman is implanted with several fertilized eggs at once. Doctors want to play it safe - it’s not a fact that at least one of them will develop. But it also happens that 2, or even 3, develop at once - as a result of twins and triplets.

However, as my example shows, in order to give birth to twins, you don’t have to resort to IVF.

First signs of twin pregnancy

What are the differences between the signs? multiple pregnancy from the usual:

• Test . A line on a home test appears as a result of a reaction to hCG level in urine. During pregnancy (any), this level increases significantly, but if a woman becomes a mother of twins, then hCG is several times higher than during normal pregnancy. That’s why the strip on the test will be much clearer and brighter.
• Belly size . Usually in the early stages the belly is not visible at all, but in the case of a multiple pregnancy it will be noticeable already in the first or second month.
• Weight . Weight gain is faster than when carrying one child.
• Early and heavy . When the body begins to rebuild, feeling unwell is normal for the expectant mother. But if two babies are growing in her belly at once, this restructuring will be harder and more noticeable, that is, nausea and other symptoms will appear earlier and will be more intense.
• Pigmentation . This sign is optional, but is present in at least half of women expecting the birth of two or more babies.

It cannot be said, of course, that these signs will definitely indicate a multiple pregnancy (perhaps only with the exception of the hCG level), but they should raise serious suspicions.

The doctor’s listening to the baby’s heartbeat and the results of an ultrasound will finally dispel doubts.

How did I find out I was pregnant with twins?

I realized quite early that I was pregnant. Perhaps because this is not the first time this has happened to me. Already at the 7th week, the doctor dispelled all suspicions, but just in case, she sent me for an ultrasound, because she realized that the uterus was not enlarged in proportion to the term. Then it was a matter of technology, or rather, an ultrasound machine. The study showed that in the uterine cavity I have two fertilized eggs.

1. However, both of my pregnancies began not with a trip to the doctor, but with a test at 6 weeks. And if the first time the stripe was barely visible, and some doubts still remained, then the second time the stripe was bold and gave a clear answer to the question.
2. During a normal pregnancy, I started to feel nauseous around the middle of the third month, but I still felt quite normal. The second time, dizziness and severe nausea with bouts of vomiting haunted me almost from the moment of conception.
3. Something completely unimaginable was happening with the pigmentation: already in the first month, not only the face, but also the shoulders became covered in spots.

However, all this could not spoil the pleasant anticipation of my girls. All that remained was to carefully monitor your weight and follow all the doctor’s instructions.

Weight gain by week during twin pregnancy (table)

The doctor immediately said that I would have to appear at the consultation more often than women who are expecting only one child. Multiple pregnancies are associated with various risks and complications . First of all, you need to control your weight.

On the one hand, the weight gain will still be greater than usual, but on the other hand, excess weight should not be allowed. On average, everyone gains about 17-21 kg, but we must take into account that these are very individual indicators. What does a table of average weight gain look like for a woman whose pre-pregnancy weight was 70 kg?

These figures are very average.

In reality, things may turn out completely differently:

• At the very beginning, due to severe toxicosis, you can not only not gain weight, but also lose up to several kilograms.
• Towards the end of pregnancy, you are likely to suffer from swelling, so the indicators may differ greatly from those in the table, to a greater extent.
• Ideally, as gynecologists have determined, the indicators should be radically opposite: in the first half of the three trimesters you should gain more, and in the second - less.
• Rarely does anyone carry twins to term until 40 weeks, so you may not have time to gain all the required kilograms.

To control your body weight and that of your future children, you must not only weigh yourself, but also go for ultrasound regularly to know the weight of the fruit. After all, it may turn out that the entire increase is , and the kids receive nothing, or vice versa.

It is known that Twins are born with less weight than those who had more room in their mother's belly . Mine were born 3100 and 3270 - this figure is above average. But you always need to take away the weight of the babies, the placenta, amniotic fluid, enlarged uterus and blood volume, then you can understand how much you have added yourself.

Overweight

All these calculations are possible only after the babies are born.

While they're waiting overweight(especially on later) can threaten with the following:

• Varicose veins.
• Increased pressure.
• Hemorrhoids.
• Shortness of breath.
• Cramps.
• Hypoxia in children.
• Development of diabetes.
• Tissue rupture, etc.

To prevent this, it is necessary eat right and move as much as possible if your doctor allows it. Sometimes the second half of a multiple pregnancy can be quite static due to the threat premature birth.

Lack of weight

Weight loss is also dangerous, especially when carrying twins:

1. Premature birth, which in the case of multiple pregnancies can lead to disastrous results.
2. Lack of nutrients in children and their diseases.
3. Improper formation of organs and systems in infants.

A good doctor will monitor your weight closely, measuring it every 7-10 days. And about once every two weeks you will need to do an ultrasound to monitor the weight of the children.

Twin pregnancy calendar

Of course, I couldn’t know what was going on in my stomach throughout the entire 9 months, how the babies were growing and developing.

But you can control your feelings:

Threat of miscarriage of twins - how to avoid it?

To be calm, it was enough for me to know that almost 90% of all multiple pregnancies develop normally, and as a result, healthy children are born.

But the biggest danger in this situation, as the doctor warned me, is premature birth. These are considered birth before 35 weeks and, as a rule, at least 60% of children are born at this stage . But it is necessary to distinguish between premature birth and the threat of termination.

1. To begin with, you should know that before the 12th week everything can still change - even if you were told on an ultrasound that they see 2 fertilized eggs, this does not mean that in the end two children will be born. It may also happen that one embryo stops developing, and as a result, only one baby will be born. From a medical point of view, this is normal, since nothing threatens the developing fetus.
2. In the second trimester, the doctor may threaten abortion . This often happens due to overstretching of the uterine muscles. To avoid this, you must follow your doctor's advice. Sometimes medications are prescribed that relax the muscles of the uterus. If the drugs do not help, you will most likely be put on conservation treatment and prescribed complete bed rest.
3. With the onset of the third trimester, we can talk about premature birth . Of the 60% of babies born before 35 weeks, only 7% were born at 24-28 weeks. But even in this case, in a good hospital, where there is the necessary equipment and qualified personnel, the children are nursed and then are no different from their peers.

To protect yourself as much as possible from such surprises, you need to:

• Get ready for pregnancy in advance, having cured all infectious diseases.
• Avoid infections during pregnancy (especially in the early stages).
• Track monitoring hormone levels by getting tested in a timely manner.
• Avoid injuries and falls (generally limit activity).

How is labor during pregnancy with twins?

I, like everyone carrying twins, was very interested in the question of the method - whether I would give birth naturally or having a caesarean section.

Slow weight gain during pregnancy

If you are not gaining weight in the early stages of pregnancy, then there is no need to worry. This is completely normal. Some pregnant women begin to gain the first kilograms only after 14-16 weeks.

Insufficient weight gain in later stages can also be normal, but you should consult about this with your doctor who is managing your pregnancy.

The most common reasons for low weight gain during pregnancy are: genetic predisposition (if you have a petite build), toxicosis, poor nutrition, and excess weight before pregnancy.

What are the dangers of slow weight gain during pregnancy?

If a pregnant woman is poorly nourished, goes hungry, or follows a strict, unbalanced diet, she increases the risk of premature birth and having a low birth weight baby.

How to gain weight during pregnancy?

If your doctor thinks you should gain a little more weight, you can use the following tips:

Eat small portions, but more often (at least 5-6 times a day)

Always have a snack on hand in the form of nuts, raisins, cheese, crackers, yogurt or dried fruit.

Eat peanut butter: you can spread it on cookies, bread, toast, and even add it to cereal. Peanut butter gives the body not only the missing calories, but also a lot of protein.

Add a piece of butter, margarine, processed cheese or a spoonful of sour cream to your food.

Drink enough fluids, but prefer juices, milk drinks and plain water rather than carbonated drinks.

Rapid weight gain during pregnancy

During pregnancy, appetite can noticeably improve, and the feeling of hunger often visits the expectant mother shortly before bed. All this can lead to the pregnant woman gaining weight too quickly and becoming overweight by the end of pregnancy.

Other possible reason rapid weight gain is a multiple pregnancy. You can suspect that you have twins or triplets even before the first ultrasound if your weight began to increase rapidly already in the first trimester.

Faster weight gain is also normal if you were underweight before pregnancy.

As a rule, excess weight during pregnancy does not lead to any serious consequences. However, the risk of hypertension, gestational diabetes mellitus, preeclampsia, and cesarean section may be increased.

If you were overweight before pregnancy

If you were overweight at the time of conception (if your BMI was greater than 25), then during pregnancy you may gain much less kilograms than women who become pregnant at normal or underweight. A small weight gain in this situation is not dangerous for the unborn child and, on the contrary, will protect you from many unpleasant consequences.

To prevent excess weight gain during pregnancy, you may be advised to consult a nutritionist. Typing excess weight during pregnancy, a woman runs the risk of getting such dangerous complications How arterial hypertension (high blood pressure) and gestational diabetes. High pregnancy weight also increases the risk of a large fetus and cesarean section.

However, this does not mean that you should diet or fast during pregnancy. It will be enough to give up fast carbohydrates (sweets, baked goods, etc.) and include more vegetables and fruits in your diet. On our website there is a separate article devoted to this topic: About nutrition during pregnancy.

Strict diets and fasting days during pregnancy are unacceptable. Don't try to lose excess weight during pregnancy. This is possible only on the recommendation of the attending physician and only under his supervision.

Just like a singleton pregnancy, a twin pregnancy begins from the moment of conception and is counted from the first day of the last menstruation. Its duration is somewhat shorter and is about thirty-eight weeks.

Pregnancy with twins by week: from the first to the fourth week

As a rule, with a woman’s normal health, the first month after fertilization of the egg passes almost unnoticed. Changes in female body, of course, occur, but they are so small, and the processes are so slow that they do not yet physically affect the general condition.

Twins pregnancy week by week: fifth week

At the beginning of this period, menstruation will be delayed. A woman is unlikely to notice the indicators of twins, although they are already there. During a multiple pregnancy, the amount of human chorionic gonadotropin is twice as high as during a normal pregnancy. Therefore, the determination test interesting situation will show a couple of bright stripes already on the very first day of the delay. By the end of the week, ultrasound examination is already able to determine the number of fetuses.

Pregnancy by weeks of twins: sixth, seventh, eighth

With ultrasound, two heartbeats can be heard. The fruits develop flipper-like processes in place of future arms and legs. In the sixth week, the first signs of future toxicosis are possible. On the seventh, the babies’ growth will almost reach one centimeter, with their heads taking up half the entire length of the body. The rudiment of the brain has already been formed.

The most dangerous period, which is fraught with miscarriages, defects, fading and will last until the twelfth week. The growth of embryos in the eighth week will be about two centimeters, and heart formation will occur. The fingers will separate and the placenta and umbilical cord will form.

Pregnancy by weeks of twins: from the ninth to the twelfth

The risk of significant and major malformations decreases significantly after the tenth week. Visible increases in the size of the abdomen begin. The formation of hearts has completed. By the end of the twelfth week, the embryos will grow about six centimeters.

Pregnancy by weeks of twins: thirteenth - sixteenth

The uterus quickly increases in size. The hearing aids of the fetuses do not function, the eyes are closed. Babies can move actively; there is enough space in the uterus. However, children sleep almost all the time; they have developed a wakefulness and sleep pattern. The sucking reflex has been developed.

Pregnancy with twins by week: seventeen - twenty two

At the very beginning of the period under review, the twins were about twelve centimeters tall and weighed about one hundred grams. After the end of the nineteenth week, the babies will gain about twenty-five centimeters in height and three hundred grams. After which they will begin to grow much faster. Their gender can already be determined using ultrasound. The first vegetation appears on the head, eyebrows and eyelids. Babies open their eyes and hear quite well.

Pregnancy by weeks of twins: twenty-three - twenty-six

At the beginning of the period, the babies weigh about half a kilogram. On the twenty-fourth - six hundred grams. At the twenty-fifth, the formation of nerve trunks and the first functioning occurs immune system. At the end of the period under review, the weight will be about 800 grams.

Pregnancy with twins by week: twenty seven - thirty

28 weeks pregnant with twins - a milestone! After this, the expectant mother should prepare the necessary things in maternity hospital, in case of premature birth. The babies are already viable, although weak. The babies weigh one kilogram. They begin to recover significantly and quickly, which will have a difficult impact on the mother’s body. It's time for passive rest. Thirtieth week: in the case of premature birth of babies, their brain is able to independently provide respiratory functions and maintain body temperature. The gastrointestinal tract is adapted to digest some food. A fat pad has been formed in the cheek area, necessary for sucking.

Pregnancy with twins by week: thirty-one - thirty-five

Time of the last scheduled ultrasound. The fetuses are becoming increasingly cramped in the uterus, so weight gain is somewhat slower. Children actively react to bright light, are frightened by sharp and loud sounds, and dream. Their main activity is sucking. By the end of the period under review, the weight will reach two kilograms.

Pregnancy by weeks with twins: thirty-six - forty

The finish line. Waiting time for labor to begin. The babies are quite ready to be born. “36 weeks of pregnancy, twins” - most often this is one of the indications for planned caesarean section. The woman should be monitored in a hospital.

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• the doctor, measuring the height of the uterine fundus, discovers a significant expansion of the uterus;
• AFP blood test shows unrealistically high results;
• a professional doctor will hear the tapping of two pulses at once through the Doppler system.

A woman will be able to notice some signs herself, while a doctor will help her identify some. After everyone is sure that there are two babies in the womb, the mother can track their development using a special calendar. This way she will be much calmer, she will be able to go through this entire difficult path of intrauterine development with her babies - from the first to the last week.

Twin pregnancy calendar by week

The development of twins occurs at a more accelerated pace than the formation of one organism in the mother's womb. Special attention to the expectant mother You should pay attention to some milestones in the calendar when the most significant changes in the condition of the babies occur:

• 7 weeks

It's time to register. The growth of the fruits is still only 1 cm, there are outlines of the head and limbs, and the location of the eyes, noses, and ears on the face is outlined. From a medical point of view, these are embryos. The examination determines the likelihood of miscarriage and reveals intrauterine defects.

• 12 weeks

The babies have grown to 6 cm. The risk of miscarriage or death of one of them is significantly reduced. Now their protective field and resistance to external negative factors is increasing. The happy mommy can see the outline of their bodies on the ultrasound.

• Week 20

At this stage, the twins are already pushing with all their might: the mother clearly feels their movements. At this point, the baby’s intestines and urinary system are activated, which constantly change the composition of the amniotic fluid.

• Week 27

It’s already becoming difficult for mom to bear the sweet couple, because their weight is increasing with extraordinary speed. It’s difficult for a woman to walk, her ribs are bursting, big belly prevents you from moving. Childbirth is possible at this time ahead of schedule twins with preservation of both lives. Pain in the lumbar region this week is a sign of impending labor.

• 34 week

This period is characterized by constant fatigue and painful sensations almost throughout the body. But one of the babies is about to position itself head down, and this will significantly ease the pregnant woman’s condition: the stomach will drop, thereby freeing up breathing.

At all other stages, the weekly pregnancy calendar for twins is practically no different from the usual one. In addition to the calendar, it will be useful for mom to track her weight gain, which should be within normal limits. Too little is fraught with dystrophy of babies, too much - with other various deviations in their development and difficult childbirth.

Weight gain

Today, in medical and lay circles, the question of what is the most optimal weight gain during pregnancy with twins is very relevant. Many knowledgeable people claim that it is absolutely no different from the indicators when carrying one child. This is a rather illogical statement, since even according to statistics, women registered with two babies in the womb weigh much more. At the end of pregnancy, this difference should ideally be 3–3.5 kg. In many ways, weight gain will depend on the mother’s initial physical characteristics that she had before pregnancy:

• if her BMI (the so-called body mass index) before pregnancy was less than 20, by the end of the pregnancy the increase should be from 16 kg to 19.5 kg;
• with a BMI from 20 to 27 - from 13 kg to 17.5 kg;
• if the BMI was greater than 27, the weight gain for twins should be about 12.5 kg.

To find out if your weight is normal at any time, you will need a special weight calculator. It includes the woman’s height, weight before pregnancy, and the presence of twins in the womb, and it produces a ready-made result so that you don’t bother yourself with complex calculations.

Features of twin pregnancy

In addition to all of the above, pregnancy with twins has other features:

• women carrying two babies at once need an increased dosage of folic acid, which prevents the development of intrauterine pathologies and defects (up to 1 mg per day instead of the prescribed 0.4 mg);
• you need to visit the antenatal clinic more often than usual;
• There is a fairly high risk of acquiring diabetes, which will not harm the babies, but will cause a lot of trouble for the mother even after childbirth;
• toxicosis can occur at any stage of pregnancy;
• very rarely women carry twins to term until the 40th week: most often, births occur from 35 to 37 weeks;
• babies often take a breech or transverse position, so they have to give birth via cesarean section, which doctors themselves recommend to women in order to avoid unforeseen complications even in the case of correct presentation;
• Some doctors do not recommend leaving a twin pregnancy after a cesarean section, arguing that this is fraught with various complications, but in practice, women give birth to their twins quite safely without any consequences or pathologies.

Pregnancy with twins is a real miracle and at the same time a heavy burden for a woman. This is a big responsibility for several lives at once, so the expectant mother must do everything to bear two strong, healthy, and not deprived babies.

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How to understand the height gain chart for twins?

Twins and triplets that fall under 90% of the centile table grow and develop with a birth weight similar to the weight of one baby in a singleton pregnancy. That is: twins up to 38 weeks and triplets up to 34 weeks, as shown in the solid lines on the graphs (singleton pregnancy growth curves are shown in dotted lines).

In the centile table under 90% values ​​above average are shown. They usually talk about individual characteristics(sometimes a hereditary predisposition to pregnancy) in the growth and development of twins. There is no doubt that for any mother of twins, these indicators of the weight of her children at birth will be a desirable dream.

50% according to the centile table - indicators that half of newborn twins have.

10% according to the centile table - an area of ​​attention that requires additional consultations with doctors. A very small number of children of the appropriate age have the same indicators at birth, and this may indicate the presence of any health and development issues.

The study was conducted by Dr. Barbara Luke, author of a number of books on maternal nutrition during multiple pregnancies and pregnancy. She also created a community dedicated to multiple births, which brings together many modern researchers.

The study author created and maintains a growing database of more than 3,500 pregnancies involving twins, triplets, quadruplets and more. Barbara collected this information for her doctoral dissertation. Her work over the past 15 years has focused on developing prenatal standards for the management of multiple pregnancies. Based on her scientific work, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists created a “Technical Bulletin on Multiple Pregnancies.” The general conclusions from the study of twin birth weights are as follows:

The speed and nature of a mother’s weight gain during pregnancy has a strong influence on the growth rate of twins (twins, triplets) and on the final birth weight of children.

The growth rate of twins is largely related to the length of pregnancy.

Children carried to full term and born at a good weight will be stronger and healthier and will differ from other twins in higher health indicators throughout childhood.

Permanent address of the article: happytwins.by

Twins pregnancy by week

Pregnancy, when it turns out that two babies are developing in the womb of the expectant mother at once, is called multiple pregnancy. During a routine examination with a gynecologist, usually the doctor simply confirms the onset of pregnancy.

And after some time, with the help of an ultrasound examination, it may become clear that a woman should expect the birth of not one, but two children at once. With such a diagnosis, the pregnant mother has a double responsibility, and the doctor has a double level of attention when monitoring such a pregnancy. The woman has a responsibility that will be expressed in more frequent visits to the doctor, taking tests, and taking more care of herself and her own health.

Twin pregnancy - why does this happen?

Of course, a multiple pregnancy is called not only when two embryos develop in the mother’s womb, but also three, four, five. It’s just that most often multiple pregnancies occur with twins. How does twin pregnancy occur? The fact is that sometimes at the moment of conception two eggs are fertilized at once, and both of them survive, attach to the wall of the uterus, and begin their development. Another reason for getting twins is the division of one fertilized egg into two embryos.

1. The main factor in the birth of twins in medicine is considered to be hereditary predisposition.
2. The second factor that determines the birth of twins is the age of the expectant mother. Typically, twins are born to a woman after thirty-five years of age.
3. And the third factor in the possible appearance of twins is reproductive modern technologies. These include: hormonal treatment from infertility and in vitro fertilization.

Twins pregnancy - how to find out?

Just a couple of decades ago expectant mother could only find out about the birth of two children at once at the time of birth. Today, when the century has come, rapidly developing new technologies, with the help of ultrasound, they learn about this already in the early stages of pregnancy. From about the tenth week of pregnancy, the doctor can use an ultrasound machine to determine the presence of two fetuses that are developing simultaneously. Often, it is possible to suspect a multiple pregnancy in some cases. subjective signs or the woman’s uncharacteristic state of health. During multiple pregnancy, morning sickness, accompanied by vomiting, usually intensifies and becomes more frequent. In some cases of multiple pregnancy, a more noticeable painful condition and swelling of the mammary glands occurs than during a singleton pregnancy. Sometimes the expectant mother of twins increases her appetite (after all, she now has to eat for three), and a feeling of fatigue quickly sets in. Also, with multiple pregnancy During pregnancy, a woman experiences a much faster and significant weight gain. The doctor, in turn, begins to listen for a double heartbeat around the thirteenth week, which also indicates the presence of twins.

Twin pregnancy - what is the weight of newborns and how much can the mother gain?

During normal pregnancy with twins, a pregnant woman is required to visit a doctor who monitors the pregnancy once every ten days, and from the twenty-fourth week - once every seven days. Often women with multiple pregnancies worry about the weight of their children being too low, which is completely in vain. Each of the twins, as a rule, is different from the children born with normal pregnancy, no more than four hundred grams, downward. And if during a pregnancy with one child, according to the norms, a mother can gain ten to twelve kilograms, then during a multiple pregnancy - up to fifteen kilograms.

(movements during pregnancy with twins for a period of 6.5 months)

If the mother gains weight quickly and exceeds the norm by the end of the term, this can complicate childbirth. Therefore, controlling the weight of the expectant mother is very important, especially during pregnancy with twins.

Twin pregnancy - dangers

Of course, in any case of pregnancy, a woman requires special care and treatment. But, in the case of multiple pregnancy, the responsibility increases as many times as she bears children. After all, the load on her body at least doubles, and, consequently, the level of danger doubles. Women with multiple pregnancies are always identified as at risk.

• The first danger for multiple pregnancies is early and late toxicosis. Frequent nausea is usually accompanied by vomiting. And this, in turn, leads to dehydration of the body, improper blood circulation, and all sorts of other negative consequences, such as miscarriage or premature birth.
• The second threat to the health of a pregnant woman with twins is iron deficiency anemia. This disease is also fraught with disruption in the development of both fetuses and the functionality of the body of the expectant mother.
• Varicose veins are another danger during multiple pregnancies, which occurs due to excessive stress on the heart muscle and rapid weight gain.

All of these risk factors can lead to premature birth, which is not the best outcome of a multiple pregnancy.

Twins pregnancy - mother's behavior

To avoid any negative consequences multiple pregnancy, the expectant mother must strictly follow all the recommendations of the doctor observing the pregnancy, treat herself and her body with increased caution, and monitor her health. First of all, it is important to create a daily routine for yourself, where most of the time will be allocated for proper rest . This required condition for the normal course of multiple pregnancy. If your body requires it, you will even need to stay in bed. You should definitely monitor your weight, and you also need to eat according to an individually designed plan and diet. To avoid typing extra pounds, but to provide both developing children with the necessary nutrients, it is important to structure your diet so that it contains foods with maximum quantity iron, calcium, folic acid, and other substances recommended by the doctor. The diet of a woman pregnant with twins should include porridge, beef, liver, beans, melons, and spinach. It is also important to eat in small portions, but twice as often as in normal life. During multiple pregnancy, it is very important to listen to your own body all the time, and even with the smallest unpleasant or painful sensations contact a specialist - a doctor for advice.

Twins Pregnancy - What About Childbirth?

As a rule, any multiple pregnancy ends in childbirth already at the thirty-seventh week. This is due to too high a load on the uterus. And when labor does not occur naturally before the thirty-ninth week, contractions begin to induce and stimulate them. It is not uncommon for nothing bad or unexpected to happen during childbirth. Doctors recommend that a woman with twins give birth by cesarean section. This operation is the safest for the health and psyche of both children. They try to offer Caesarean section to women who have too much heavy weight both babies. And it is strongly recommended in cases where she has physiological contraindications to childbirth in its natural course. There are a number of indications for cesarean section in multiple pregnancies.

1. Firstly, this is the presence of gestosis, varying degrees gravity.
2. Secondly, a caesarean section is mandatory when a woman does not have time to deliver one or both children. correct position before giving birth, and she is diagnosed with breech presentation.
3. Thirdly, a cesarean section is performed when one or both children are hypoxic. And fourthly, the indication for a caesarean section is that both babies weigh more than six kilograms.

In the absence of all these indications for cesarean section, a woman may well give birth naturally. According to statistics, every second multiple pregnancy ends in a healthy and natural birth. As a rule, twin babies are born with an interval of ten to fifteen minutes.

Expecting a child is a very important step for any family. When a woman is expecting twins, this responsibility doubles. If it is not clear what the weight of twins should be by week of pregnancy, it is recommended to use a table with average parameters according to WHO standards. First of all, it’s worth understanding in more detail what factors influence this and what the wrong result leads to.

Weight gain

The early stages of bearing a child are not characterized by a rapid gain of kilograms. But this is not a cause for concern. This state of affairs is very common and natural. A more significant and noticeable increase will begin after the first trimester.

A slight weight gain during twin pregnancy week by week (up to 12-14 weeks) can be considered normal. Moreover, during this period a woman may even lose kilos.

Weight loss is due to a number of factors:

1. genetic predisposition;
2. toxicosis;
3. excess weight in the expectant mother.

Another factor is unbalanced nutrition and strict diets, which absolutely should not be allowed at this time. This can lead to premature birth and abnormal fetal development.

Weight gain chart during twin pregnancy

By the end of the gestation period, the mother’s kilograms include not only toddlers, but also some other indicators, which form the basis of the increase.

Body weight during pregnancy includes:

• children;
• uterus;
• amniotic fluid;
• placenta;
• blood, the volume of which increases significantly;
• excess water that is retained in the body;
• mammary glands;
• deposits in the form of adipose tissue.

The weight of fetuses in multiple pregnancies before birth averages 2.8 kg.

Baby's height

During a multiple pregnancy, children in the womb develop faster than during a normal pregnancy. The first trimester lasts until the 13th week. During this time, the growth of children on average can be 13-14 cm. An ultrasound clearly shows the presence of two babies. During the initial 90 days from conception, babies weigh approximately 1 gram. The first activity is appearing, which some mothers feel already now.

By the end of the second trimester, the babies are expected to survive if they are born prematurely. The weight of twins can be about 1 kg. Their height by this time reaches approximately 35 cm. By the 36th week, the twins’ height reaches 45 cm, and they weigh 2.5 kg.

Weight gain chart during twin pregnancy

The rate of weight gain during twin pregnancy is directly dependent on the main anthropometric indicators: weight and height. They are used to calculate BMI. To obtain this coefficient, weight before conception is divided by height multiplied by itself. In this case, calculations are carried out in kilograms and meters.

Using the obtained value, you can calculate what the normal weight gain will be during pregnancy with twins:

• if the BMI is less than 20, then by the time the babies are born the increase will be from 16 to 20 kg;
• with a BMI of up to 27, the gain will be 13-17 kg;
• if the BMI is more than 27, the rate of weight gain during pregnancy with twins will be 11-13 kg.

As a rule, mothers expecting twins do not reach the end of their term. But such children develop much faster. Babies are much lighter when weighed, but their organs are already developed enough to be born. Weight gain during twin pregnancy by week depends on the gestation period and the woman’s lifestyle. The expectant mother gains the least in the first and third trimesters. The main increase in the indicator occurs in the second trimester.

In order for weight gain to occur as planned, you must follow your doctor’s recommendations. Throughout the entire period, you should visit a doctor and monitor your well-being.