Multiple Gestation Pregnancy - Know What It Is!

While getting pregnant and conceiving a baby is a perfectly normal physical function that most women go through, there are certain conditions that may lead to untoward complications. In most cases, there are various treatments and precautionary measures once that happens. Yet, there are conditions like multiple gestation pregnancy, that may be difficult to contain and manage. A multiple gestation pregnancy is when a mother is carrying more than one fetus in her womb. This is a very rare condition that affects a few women and not all. Most of the multiple gestation pregnancies usually involve twins. However, others could include triplets or even quadruplets. One can know about the multiple pregnancies through an ultrasound exam.

There are women who are more likely to have more than one baby. These women include the following:

1. Women over the age of 30
2. Women with a family history of multiple gestation pregnancy
3. Obese women
4. Those who have undergone treatments for fertility
5. Caucasian women

There are certain signs and symptoms to a multiple pregnancy that separates it from a regular one. These include the following:

1. Highly sore breasts
2. Simultaneous foetal movements in separate areas of the womb
3. An enlarged uterus
4. High levels of morning sickness
5. Rise in the human chorionic gonadotropin and alpha-fetoprotein substances
6. Multiple heartbeats

There are certain risks and complications that come along with a multiple gestation pregnancy. Complications with the babies include the following:

1. Premature birth is the most common among those, i.e. delivery before 37 weeks.
2. These infants incur health problems.
3. Sometimes it could also lead to cerebral palsy or even certain learning or behaviourism problems.
4. Spina bifida and congenial heart defects
5. Unequal growth in either of the babies
6. Underweight infants
7. Twin-twin transfusion syndrome where the twins might have adjoined body parts.

There are many other complications that may lead to this condition. Other complications in the mother include the following:

1. Diabetes
2. Anemia
3. Pre-term labour
4. Excessive amniotic fluid
5. Miscarriage
6. Post-partum depression
7. Post-partum haemorrhage
8. Premature birth

Women who are undergoing a multiple gestation pregnancy should be taken care of more efficiently. There are certain things that need to be taken care of. These include the following:

1. Diet: Having a healthy diet is very important for a pregnant woman. Additional folic acid, calcium and iron are required. Also, a diet rich in protein is mandatory.
2. Exercising: Yoga, walking and breathing exercises are great for women with multiple pregnancies. However, in the later stage, she should do lesser activities and indulge in some amount of bed rest.
3. Genetic testing: If you have health problems that may be hereditary, tests like chorionic villus sampling are very important since one fetus might acquire the health problem while the other may not.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!