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Your Pregnancy with Twins or Triplets (or More!)

Antenatal Care for Multiple Pregnancies

Once it has been established that you are carrying more than one baby, your pregnancy will be categorised as 'high risk'. This term applies to any pregnancy where one or more conditions put the mother and/or the foetuses at a greater than normal risk of complications either during or after the pregnancy. High risk, as a term, ought not to alarm you. Instead, see it as a reassurance that you and your babies will be receiving even more medical care and attention, giving you a much better chance of a healthy pregnancy and delivery.

What will be different about my antenatal care?

With single, low risk pregnancies women are asked to attend between 7-10 antenatal appointments across the course of their pregnancy. For multiple pregnancies (or for any high risk pregnancy) you will be asked to attend more frequent appointments so that your condition, or conditions, can be more closely monitored.

Your midwife will outline a rough schedule of appointments for you at your first appointment, following confirmation that you are carrying more than one foetus. At the end of each appointment, you will be advised when to make your next appointment. Typically, expectant mothers of multiples can expect to attend an antenatal clinic and have a separate midwife appointment once a month, effectively meaning that you will have one appointment approximately every two weeks.

Other factors may mean that you are asked to attend even more appointments, for example if you have, or are at risk of gestational diabetes.

The clinic is some distance from my work, how am I supposed to fit all of this in?

Inconvenience is part and parcel of pregnancy, and if you are carrying multiples then this is even more so. However, your health and the health of your babies must come first. Your employer is legally obliged to provide you with paid time off to attend all of your antenatal appointments. They are entitled to ask for proof that these appointments have been advised by your practitioner, so if required, ask your midwife what documentation can be provided as evidence of this. No written evidence is required for your first antenatal appointment.

Attending routine antenatal appointments means that any problems through your pregnancy can be picked up early and managed appropriately. While this might mean a lot of coming and going, and seemingly endless periods spent in waiting rooms, the reality is that you are much more likely to experience a safe pregnancy and birth, and your babies are more likely to be in good health when you get to meet them.

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This internet site provides information of a general nature and is designed for educational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your own health or the health of your child, you should always consult a doctor or other healthcare professional.