It is indeed an exciting moment when a woman gets multiple pregnancy. It is the happiest moment for a couple, as they will get one baby in bonus! Equally, multiple pregnancy carry high risk for complications.
Here are some of the most common complications those are seen in most of the cases –
If a woman is carrying multiple fetuses, she is at three times risk to develop high blood pressure during her pregnancy as compare to a woman carrying single fetus. The condition often develops in earlier stages and is more severe than pregnancy with one fetus. Hypertension in multiple pregnancy is also at high risk of placental abruption in which, there is an early detachment of the placenta.
Multiple birth babies carry about twice the risk of congenital (birth) abnormalities such as neural tube defects (spina bifida), heart abnormalities and gastrointestinal anomalies.
About 50% of twins and nearly all higher-order multiples get delivered before 37th week and are therefore premature ones. The higher the number of fetuses in the womb, the greater the risk for early birth for each one. These premature babies are born before their body systems get fully developed and functioning. These babies are often small and are LBWs (Low Birth Weights) i.e. less than 2.5 kg or 5.5 lb. They may need life supporting systems to help breathing. They might have delayed milestones and in their early lives, they may not able to suck their mother’s milk properly due to poor sucking reflex. This in times, turns to malnourishment of the babies.
Preterm babies are generally shifted to NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) as soon as they are delivered to avoid any complications and to be on safer side. Many premature babies develop neonatal jaundice that is treated carefully with phototherapy and certain medications.
Multiple pregnancy may end up into birth defects of newborns. They are twice the risk of congenital defects such as neural tube defects, gastrointestinal and heart anomalies.
Babies delivered by multiple pregnancy are at double risk to have anemia as compared to babies delivered by normal delivery. They then need blood transfusion if the hemoglobin levels are too low.
In the first trimester of multiple pregnancy, there are chances of miscarriage. It is observed that woman with multiple pregnancy is at more risk with miscarriage. The risk of pregnancy loss increases as the pregnancy progresses.
This is the condition in which, the placenta does not supply equal flow of blood to both the fetuses. it occurs in about 15% of twins with a shared placenta.
Multiple pregnancy is often delivered by cesarean sections. This could be due to many reasons. Two fetuses are in one womb so naturally it takes more space and hence, quite difficult to deliver through vagina. Both the fetuses may not have their head down position (which is considered as normal to have normal delivery).
The large placental area and over-distended uterus makes a mother at risk of having bleeding after she delivers the baby. The risk also increases if the mother has delivered many babies in past.
In recent years, the technique called multifetal pregnancy reduction has been widely used to decrease the number of multiple fetuses in case of triplets, four or more fetuses in one womb. This is done to save lives of mother and fetuses. MFPR (multifetal pregnancy reduction) involves injecting one or more fetuses with some lethal medication, which will cause death of those targeted fetuses. This will save the life of other fetuses, as they will have fair chances for development. However, the procedure is complicated and needs experts’ hands to perform.
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