What is a Multiple Gestation Pregnancy?

A multiple gestation pregnancy is one where the mother carries more than one fetus.

According to March of Dimes, 3 percent of women will experience a multiple pregnancy each year. Most multiple gestation pregnancies are with twins.

This article looks at what happens with a multiple gestation pregnancy, the different symptoms that may occur, potential risks, and care options that are available.

The chance of multiple gestation pregnancies may be higher when there is a family history.

Having a multiple gestation pregnancy

 Women and their partners may ask, "will my babies look alike?" The answer is that it depends. In cases of identical twins, for example, they look exactly alike because one egg was fertilized and split into two embryos.

Fraternal twins are not identical and occur when two eggs are fertilized by two separate sperm. In cases of fraternal multiples, the fetuses are not genetically identical.

Certain women are more likely than others to have a multiple gestation pregnancy. These women include:

• Those who have undergone fertility treatments
• Women over the age of 30
• Those with a family history of multiple gestation pregnancy
• Obese women
• Black or Caucasian women

In twin gestations, it is necessary to work out if each fetus has its own chorion and amniotic sac. The amniotic sac is a bag of fluid in the womb where the fetus grows. It is formed of two membranes, and one of these is the chorion.

Doctors can find this out by carrying out an ultrasound exam. Twins are defined into one of three categories:

• Dichorionic-diamniotic: These are either fraternal or identical twins who most commonly have their own placenta, chorions, and amniotic sacs.
• Monochorionic-diamniotic: These are identical twins who share a placenta and chorion but have their own amniotic sacs. These twins can experience a complication known as twin-twin transfusion syndrome. One twin "donates" blood to the other, resulting in one twin with too much blood and the other with too little.
• Monochorionic-monoamniotic: These are identical twins sharing a chorion, amniotic sac, and placenta. These twins more frequently experience complications, including problems with the umbilical cord.