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| Home > Pre-natal Care > Multiple Pregnancy
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| | Multiple Pregnancy
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 A multiple pregnancy occurs where more than one fetus exist in the womb. Different names for multiple pregnancy are used, depending on the actual multiple. Common multiples are two and three, known as twins and triplets respectively. Twins are relatively com-mon, about once in every eighty pregnancies. Fraternal (dizygotic) twins are produced by the fertilization of two eggs by two sperm. Identical (monozygotic) twins occur when one sperm fertilizes one egg, which later divides into two developing babies. One out of every three sets of twins is identical. Triplets occur about once in every 6,400 pregnancies, and quadruplets or quin-tuplets are even more rare. A family history of multiple birth increases the chance of multiple birth.
A multiple pregnancy may be diagnosed if two or more fetal heart-beats are heard, mother gains weight rapidly, or the uterine grows abnormally. Although ultrasound can usually confirm a multiple pregnancy, some remain undetected until birth.
Expecting twins can be both thrilling and stressful. The experi-ence will place extra demands on your body. You may be advised to augment the number of calories in your diet and you may need to rest more in response to fatigue and the possibility of premature labor. Since the birth of twins is complicated, you will probably need specialized care, by an obstetrician rather than a family physician, and you will be at greater risk for prenatal complications. In addition to increased medical attention, you can also demand more attention from your friends and relatives. Helpful books and support groups may be available to help parents of twins cope with their distinctive emotional and practical prob-lems.
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