What is multiple pregnancy and does it cause complications? And many other questions that pregnant women ask, especially new mothers who do not know enough information about multiple pregnancy and how it happens. Follow us to find out the answer to your question. What does multiple pregnancy mean? What are its symptoms and how to diagnose it.

What does multiple pregnancy mean?

The meaning of multiple pregnancy is that you are pregnant with more than one child, and multiple pregnancy occurs when the ovary releases two eggs and fertilizes each on its own, which is called fraternal twins, while in some other cases the fertilized egg is divided and turns into identical embryos carrying the same genes and genetic factors, which is what It’s called an identical twin.

The possibility of conceiving twins usually increases when the mother herself has twins, or when the mother performs ICSI or IVF, where the doctor transfers more than one fertilized egg to the uterus to increase the chance of pregnancy.

What are the symptoms of multiple pregnancy?

The symptoms of a normal pregnancy are not much different from a multiple pregnancy, except for some symptoms that may increase in severity, such as the following:

• Feeling very nauseous.
• The size of the uterus is larger than normal for the time of pregnancy.
• Noticing more weight gain with the onset of pregnancy than during a normal pregnancy.
• Feeling the movements of the fetuses in different places in the abdomen at the same time.
• Increased desire to eat larger amounts of food.

How to diagnose a multiple pregnancy

After you know the answer to your question, what is the meaning of multiple pregnancy, you should know that multiple pregnancy is usually diagnosed at the beginning of pregnancy, but there are some tests that confirm this, namely:

• Quantitative blood test: Where this examination measures the level of pregnancy hormone in the blood, and in the event that it is very high than its normal level at the time of diagnosis, this means that you are pregnant with twins.
• Alpha Fetoprotein Test: It is an examination that measures the levels of protein secreted by the fetal liver. In the case of multiple pregnancy, it is high because more than one fetus secretes it.
• Ultrasound: It is the basic and important examination during pregnancy and helps the doctor to see the fetuses and take pictures of them.

Does multiple pregnancy cause complications?

There are some complications caused by multiple pregnancies, especially in the event that the pregnant woman was not interested in her health, including the following:

Premature birth

Women with multiple pregnancies usually suffer from premature birth, that is, they give birth before the 37th week of pregnancy, as reaching the 38th week of pregnancy is the appropriate time for the completion of the growth of the fetuses in cases of multiple pregnancies, which results in a decrease in the weight of the fetuses at birth.

Eclampsia

You should know that pre-eclampsia is a serious condition that threatens the fetus and the pregnant woman in the event that she does not receive appropriate treatment quickly, as the pregnant woman suffers from high blood pressure, which causes pre-eclampsia and pre-eclampsia, and this may happen early in the pregnancy and not only in the last months.

Pregnancy diabetes

One of the complications of multiple pregnancy is gestational diabetes, where your blood sugar levels increase dramatically as a result of hormonal changes and increased insulin resistance, which affects the life of the fetus and your life. In this case, you must follow up with the doctor to follow a healthy diet.

Finally, after you know the answer to your question What does multiple pregnancy mean? And what are its complications and symptoms, you must make sure that you get enough rest while eating enough calories and protein and follow up on your periodic check-ups with the doctor.