Pregnancy

Top 16 Twin Pregnancy Symptoms – First Signs Of Twin Pregnancy

Written By

Reviewed By - Dr. Almas Nazim, MD

Updated: May 15, 2018

Pregnancy is such a pleasant time of life, and it gets even more blissful if you get a double gift pack – twins. Let’s not talk about the double trouble when they grow up to be naughty toddlers. But they are as adorable even then. If you think are having twins then lookout for these twin pregnancy symptoms in your body.

Types of twin pregnancy

About 1 in every 80 pregnancies is a twin pregnancy.

Identical twins pregnancy: Identical twins develop from a single fertilized egg. They are look-alike but not clones.
Fraternal twins’ pregnancy: Fraternal twins are the ones where two different eggs fertilize separately. They don’t look alike.

There are many other types of twin pregnancies.

Superfetation, however, does not give twins. It is when a pregnant woman conceives a second time while she is pregnant.

Whatever be the type of twin pregnancy the symptoms of a twin pregnancy are common to all of them.

What increases the chance of having twins?

Infertility therapies: Any superovulation shot can cause you to release multiple eggs, and they’ll get fertilized to give you twins.
A family history of giving birth to twins: There are villages where the genetic makeup of people is such that they only give birth to twins. So if your family has had many twins, you might have them too.
If you cross a particular age group above 40 years then you can have twins: There are cases which show that women who are above the age of 40 years are more likely to have twins.

Risk factors for twin pregnancy

When is twin pregnancy more likely? There is a different risk of twin pregnancy in various cases like age and IVF treatments.

Women older than 30 years in perimenopause stage
Women who are very tall are more likely to have twins
Females undergoing fertility therapies are most likely to have twins or triplets
Ethnic groups of American and African races
A family history of having twins increases chances of having a twin pregnancy
Overweight women with Body Mass Index more than 25 have a high probability of having twins

What are the top 16 twin pregnancy symptoms?

1) Early progression of pregnancy

If your pregnancy symptoms are increasing at a higher pace, then it can be possible that you have a twin pregnancy. Exaggerated pregnancy symptoms are signs of a twin pregnancy.

2) Larger baby bump

A large baby belly that is the size of the baby bump can indicate that you have twins. The size from the pelvic bones to the cervix is the baby bump. When you have a large baby bump for your gestational age, it is one of the twin pregnancy symptoms.

3) Higher levels of hCG

Placenta secrets hCG hormone after implantation occurs. When you have twins you have two placentas and hence a higher level of hCG. This is also the reason for getting a darker pregnancy test result when you have twins.

4) Morning sickness and evening sickness both might occur

Among the twin pregnancy symptoms a woman faces, this is quite dreadful. You might have morning sickness that doesn’t stop and continues to linger on an entire day. It will be terrible and you’ll have to find ways to deal with morning sickness.

5) Elevated blood pressure

Mothers with twin pregnancy have a higher blood pressure report. This is again because your body has a higher hormone surge because you have two babies growing in you. As the hormones are higher so will be the blood pressure.

6) More rapid movements in your womb

Though there are least chances that you will have any early fetal movements even if you are pregnant with twins. But once the movement starts then, your babies will continue to do their acrobatics the entire day. Even if one of the twins feels like sleeping the other one will fulfill the duty.

7) Aggravated pregnancy cramps

You will get severe cramps and all sorts of cramps. You might even have other symptoms like insomnia, bloating, leg cramps etc. aggravated during a twin pregnancy. Uterine cramps during twin pregnancy without blood loss are common.

8) Excessive weight gain

If you have two babies instead of one, then your weight gain will be higher. You will also feel more hungry and a higher hydration demand too. This will also have another significance that it will go faster than the due dates.

9) Extreme fatigue

Women get tired with a single baby in their womb. You have two of them so it is very normal that you will get more tired. And you might even feel sleepier than other expecting mothers. It is essential that you give your body a lot of rest and avoid any form of stress and strain.

10) Frequent spotting

Research shows that twin pregnancy leads to more incidents of spotting than a normal pregnancy. It is because the reasons and incidences for causing spotting during pregnancy double. It may be that the first baby implants and you get implantation spotting and then again for the twin. Frequent spotting is a common symptom of twin pregnancy.

11) More stretch marks

As your baby bump is bigger and so your skin stretches more so you might get more stretch marks than other mothers who are expecting. They can be easily healed by using oils and other home remedies.

12) Frequent urge to pee during entire pregnancy

Frequent urge to pee is generally in the first and last trimester of pregnancy. If you have a constant need to go to the bathroom, it could be that you have twins. The hormonal misbalance is more incessant during a twin pregnancy. Your bladder feels full more often.

13) Big fat positive pregnancy test twins

When you have twins you have more hCG. This gives a big fat positive pregnancy test during a twin pregnancy. Big fat positive pregnancy test is a symptom of twin pregnancy.

14) Extreme breast tenderness

Twin pregnancy prepares your breasts for two babies. If your breasts are very tender and you need a larger bra, then it may be that you have twins. Extreme breast tenderness is a sign of twin pregnancy. You will see blue lines and feel soft breasts.

15) Severe mood swings

As the hormones circulate more rapidly during pregnancy, you get worse mood swings. If you feel low and high switching, then your twin pregnancy is the reason for it.

16) Complete aversion to certain smell and food

During a twin pregnancy, you develop dislike for meat and seafood. Any cheesy smell makes you feel like puking. Extreme dislike for specific food and certain smells is a sign of twin pregnancy.

Read more: Can I eat fish during pregnancy?

How does a doctor confirm twins?

A doctor can confirm that you’ve twins either by performing an ultrasound test or by doing a blood test.

Ultrasound test for twin pregnancy: An ultrasound test for a twin pregnancy is done by applying lots of lube of your baby bump. Then using an ultrasound device images of your uterus are seen on a screen. Ultrasound after 8 weeks twins is a common prenatal test. A doctor can even make out that you’ve twins at an early stage. Ultrasound test for a twin pregnancy is no different. You see two structures on the screen during Ultrasound test for a twin pregnancy.
Blood Test for twin pregnancy: During a twin pregnancy, mother placenta produces more hCG, and higher blood pressure is common. Blood Test for a twin pregnancy uses these symptoms of twin pregnancy to detect it. So if a doctor sees these two symptoms persistently in you at an early stage of pregnancy, then you’ve twins.
Doppler Heartbeat Test: Heartbeats in the case of twins are one or two extra heartbeats per cycle. Doctors use a stethoscope to hear the heart beats. It is a scientifically researched fact. Hearing extra heartbeats is a sign of twin pregnancy. Fetal heartbeat is around 160 beats per minutes. Thi is twice as fast as us. Doppler Heartbeat Test for twins confirms the twin pregnancy.
AFP Test: AFP test detects a protein secreted by the liver of the baby. When a woman has a twin pregnancy, she shows an abnormal AFP test. This abnormal AFP Test has higher values for all parameters than expected values. It is why it is another confirmatory test for a twin pregnancy.