Having twins or more

How this will affect your pregnancy and birth

About one in every 65 natural pregnancies is a twin pregnancy
You are more likely to have twins if they run in your family
Non-identical twins are more common than identical twins
They happen when two eggs are fertilised by two sperm at the same time
Identical twins are the result of one fertilised egg splitting into two separate embryos
Triplets occur naturally in one in 10,000 pregnancies
Conceiving with the help of fertility drugs increases your chance of a multiple pregnancy

Multiple pregnancies can be confirmed by an early scan or a dating scan around 10 to 14 weeks
Other early signs include a large bump and feeling very sick
If you are having more than one baby you will see a hospital consultant every month as well as having regular midwife appointments
Your pregnancy will be considered "high risk" because you are more likely to experience pregnancy complications, such as pre-eclampsia or premature birth
Your pregnancy will be carefully monitored to make sure you and your babies stay safe and well
You can expect to have more scans especially if your babies are identical as there is a risk of twin to twin transfusion syndrome (where one baby grows at the expense of the other)
The likelihood is that you will have a normal pregnancy and healthy babies

Twins and triplets are more likely to be born prematurely
About 43 per cent of twins go beyond 37 weeks and 1.5 per cent of triplets
How you deliver your babies will depend partly on how they are positioned in the womb
Although it’s still possible to have a natural birth, more than half of twin babies are born by caesarean section
You are more likely to have a vaginal delivery if one of your babies' heads is engaged in your pelvis
It's up to you to choose how you deliver your babies in discussion with your doctor

Your babies are more likely to spend some time in special care than singleton babies
It is possible to breastfeed twins and even triplets
You may find a combination of breast and bottle easier
Try to get as much help as possible with chores and caring for your babies
Consider joining a local twin club – visit www.tamba.org.uk or phone free on 0800 138 0509 to find out more.