Pregnancy Signs & Symptoms, Week by Week Pregnancy Guide

Women often are uncertain during the early stages of their pregnancy and imagine themselves carrying twins or more babies. A woman who is already a mother from her previous pregnancy is able to detect her status more than a woman who is experiencing pregnancy for the first time.

In case of subsequent pregnancy the uterus and ligaments are found to be stretched already from the former delivery. If the abdominal size or weight is found to increase than before then it is quite obvious to imagine the possibility of delivering twins. However, the situation differs from woman to woman. Some mothers experience mild discomfort and do not show any symptoms of bearing twins while others express symptoms of multiple pregnancy.

Here are few common signs and symptoms of twins and multiple pregnancies listed below:

Rapid Weight Gain

Poor eating habits cause excessive weight gain. Consuming junk food at the time of pregnancy increases your body weight. According to some studies conducted, an average woman who is expected to carry twins or multiples tends to gain ten pounds more than those carrying a single baby. Increasing level of blood volume and uterine size also results in gain of weight during pregnancy.

Greater Measurement for Gestational Age

Gestational age is detected by consultants by measuring the fundal height of a pregnant woman. Often those who experience increased uterus size have a strong possibility of multiple pregnancies.

Morning Sickness

Most of the expecting mothers with multiples undergo extreme morning sickness. There are instances where many pregnant women do not have such morning sickness or nausea.

Increased Uterus

If the uterus is found to be growing rapidly much before the expected due date, then one may conclude the case to be that of a multiple pregnancy. Generally, the reason behind an increased uterus is due to the excessive amount of amniotic fluid.

Abnormal High Results from AFP Test

The AFP test measures the amount of protein secreted by the fetal liver. If the result of the test shows a higher denomination of protein in the mother’s blood, then it can be concluded that there is an existence of more than one baby in the mother’s womb. In case, if it turns out not to be a multiple pregnancy, then there are possibilities of abnormality. In such a situation, ultra sound test is recommended.

Ultra Sound Confirmation

Ultrasound is the only method by which it is possible to detect whether a pregnant woman is carrying more than one baby or not in the womb.

Increase HCG Level

HCG is a type of hormone that is produced during pregnancy. Increased level of HCG sometimes indicate multiples but not for all cases. It is always satisfactory to investigate further and verify the cause of increasing HCG level.

Hence, if one or more of these symptoms are faced by pregnant women, then there is a possibility of bearing more than one child in the mother’s womb. An ultrasound test is the best and accurate diagnose to confirm multiple pregnancies in women.