This is because, if there are problems, it's easier and quicker to assist the delivery when the mother already has good pain relief. If the first twin is in a head down position cephalic , it's usual to consider having a vaginal birth. However, there may be other medical reasons why this would not be possible.
If you have had a previous caesarean section, it's usually not recommended you have a vaginal birth with twins. If you have a vaginal birth, you may need an assisted birth , which is when a suction cup ventouse or forceps are used to help deliver the babies. Once the first baby is born, the midwife or doctor will check the position of the second baby by feeling your abdomen and doing a vaginal examination.
If the second baby is in a good position, the waters will be broken and this baby should be born soon after the first as the cervix is already fully dilated.
If contractions stop after the first birth, hormones will be added to the drip to restart them. You may choose to have an elective caesarean from the outset of your pregnancy, or your doctor may recommend a caesarean section later in the pregnancy as a result of potential complications. The babies' position may determine whether they need to be delivered by caesarean section or not. If the presenting baby - the one that will be born first - is in a breech position feet, knees or buttocks first , or if one twin is lying in a transverse position with its body lying sideways , you will need to have a caesarean section.
Some conditions also mean you will need a caesarean section; for example if you have placenta praevia a low-lying placenta or if your twins share a placenta. If you have previously had a very difficult delivery with a single baby, you may be advised to have a caesarean section with twins.
Even if you plan a vaginal birth, you may end up having an emergency caesarean section. In very rare cases, you may deliver one twin vaginally and then require a caesarean section to deliver the second twin if it becomes distressed. After the birth, your midwife will examine the placenta to determine what type of twins you have.
Twins can either be fraternal or identical. Depending on where you plan to give birth, you may need to go to another hospital with appropriate facilities if complications in your pregnancy indicate you're likely to have an early delivery. This may not be near to home, so make sure to check there are enough beds for both your babies in the neonatal unit. Ask if your chosen hospital has a transitional care unit or a special care nursery.
These are places that allow mothers to care for their babies if they need special care but not intensive care. These hospitals are more likely to be able to keep you and your babies in the same place. By clicking the button, you agree to our policies and to get emails from us. Join BabyCentre. Sign up to receive free emails and track your baby's development. Track my baby. Most popular in Pregnancy.
See all in Community. See all in Getting Pregnant. See all in Pregnancy. See all in Preschooler. See all in Life as a Parent. Scientific data show that bed rest does not prevent preterm delivery.
In fact, bed rest can increase your risk of developing blood clots and have negative financial and social consequences. During delivery is when things differ significantly. This is a safety precaution known as a double setup. Following the vaginal delivery of the first baby, there is a small risk of an emergency cesarean section for the second baby.
There is also the possibility of the second twin being delivered breech, which is a safe form of vaginal delivery if the obstetrician is experienced in this type of delivery.
Of women giving birth to twins over 32 weeks, only about 4 percent who try for a vaginal delivery will have a combined vaginal and cesarean section delivery. Although being pregnant with twins can seem very different, your doctor will treat your pregnancy like any other unless a complication occurs.
One of the best things you can do to protect and improve your health is to stay informed. Do twins share a placenta and an amniotic sac? Here are three major possibilities that exist: Two placentas and two amniotic sacs. Contrary to popular belief, the incidence of twins does not skip generations. Some women are more likely than others to give birth to twins. The factors that increase the likelihood include the following:. Identical twins occur when the fertilised egg divides in two while it is still a tiny collection of cells.
The self-contained halves then develop into two babies, with exactly the same genetic information. Around one in three sets of twins is identical. What causes the fertilised egg to split in two remains a mystery. Approximately one-quarter of identical twins are mirror images of each other, which means the right side of one child matches the left side of their twin.
It is not known what causes this. Twin pregnancies are associated with more frequent complications for both the mother and the babies. The mother might experience severe morning sickness that is persistent, diabetes in pregnancy, high blood pressure, or early onset of labour due to waters breaking prematurely giving rise to preterm delivery of babies.
For the babies, the increased risks are due to being born prematurely or due to complications due to a shared placenta or blood vessels and due to uterine restriction. It is important to know whether your twins are sharing a placenta, as sharing a placenta also means sharing the blood supply from the mother.
If the sharing of the blood supply is unequal, this can lead to complications. For this reason, women carrying twins sharing a placenta will need to have more frequent antenatal check-ups.
Twins sharing an inner membrane which means they share the amniotic sac carry an even higher risk of complications, as there is the potential for their umbilical cords to become tangled and to cut off their blood supply. In this case the pregnancy is monitored even more closely, and it may be recommended that your twins be delivered earlier.
Around two in three sets of twins are fraternal. Dizygotic twins each have their own placenta, inner membrane and outer membrane. These babies will be no more alike than siblings born at separate times. The babies can be either the same sex or different sexes.
Triplets and more can be a combination of both identical and fraternal multiples.
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