What is a singleton pregnancy

You may be wondering if there is a contrast or difference between a single or twin pregnancy. The truth is there are a lot of differences. The general conception is that twin pregnancies can be a bit more stressful compared to single ones, but it’s not all bad. Singleton and twin pregnancies are pretty much the same, but there are a few differences that you may want to look out for to ensure the health of either one baby or two.

Physical Differences Between Singleton and Twin Pregnancies

The first notable difference, even those that aren’t noticeable to the ones carrying the baby, is the size of the belly. When carrying one baby, a woman’s belly will get big after some time. Carrying twins will obviously make it larger, but not in an exaggerated way.                                       

• One can say that a twin belly will be 20% larger than a single pregnancy belly.
• Sometimes, mothers won’t even notice that they’re carrying twins, regardless of the size of their bellies.
• When comparing the weight of either bellies of twin mothers and singleton mothers, the belly of a mother with twins will naturally be a bit heavier than a normal one.
• With a heavier belly, it means more stress for the womb and the mother.

Internal Differences in Twin Pregnancies

Outside appearances aren’t just the only difference between singleton and twin pregnancies. Here are some of the most common ones. 

• You will get tired faster when carrying twins. Then again, most of the time you won’t be engaging in physical activities when you’re pregnant.
• However, the fatigue is also caused by the changes in hormones in the body.
• You’ll notice that you also tend to eat more. When pregnant, you usually have to consume more since you’re not only eating for yourself but you’re also eating for your unborn baby or babies. When pregnant with twins, you’re eating for three people. 

Changes in Food Consumption

Some changes also include needing to eat healthier, but some women tend to disagree with certain types of food. They want to eat food that they like that may not necessarily be healthy, which should be avoided as much as possible. This also means that they need to drink more water and fluids. This calls for a restricted diet for pregnant women.

Changes in Mood

This leads to the next difference, where mood swings can happen more often. Denying a pregnant woman what she wants to eat can sometimes annoy her. Women can become agitated because their hormones are surging and they are also worried about their baby. This can happen more often when carrying twins because some mothers think it is a riskier pregnancy. However, doctors say that a twin pregnancy has the same risks as a singleton pregnancy with only a few more risks involved when having twins.

Changes in Sleep Pattern

Pregnant women may find it hard to sleep. There are different reasons, but pregnant women find it hard to sleep due to their belly being pushed against the bed, gas, and nausea.

Women with singletons may find it hard to sleep because of this, but it can be harder for those that have twin pregnancies. The belly still gets in the way, but if it is much bigger than the average pregnant belly, they may have difficulty finding a good position while sleeping even when they are on their side. When sleeping problems arise, there are always ways to alleviate it. These pregnant women can buy products like a good wedge pillow to help them sleep well at night.

Other Factors 

Morning sickness is another factor for pregnant women. It doesn’t always happen in the morning and it is different for every mother. Even mothers with single pregnancies can have worse nausea symptoms than those with twins. Morning sickness is natural for pregnant women because the surge in hormones can affect their body in ways that can trigger issues like nausea, headaches, joint pains, and more. There’s not much difference when having twins versus one baby because hormones are zooming all over the place. It all depends on how the mother’s body reacts to it. 

Another difference between single and twin pregnancy is that the body changes can be a bit more overwhelming. An example is that women can gain more weight and develop spots on their body.

Things to Be Mindful of When You’re Pregnant 

Be sure to visit the doctor as much as you can or as necessary. Pregnant women have to be more careful when they are carrying twins. One thing about delivering twins is that it is done much earlier. While gestation can last as long as 9 months, pregnant women with twins usually deliver much earlier. There are several reasons why in some cases twins or more babies are born earlier than singletons. It could be attributed to placenta problems or the rupturing of the amniotic membrane, which is when the water breaks too early. 

Conclusion

There are differences between being pregnant with one baby, twins, or more. While the conditions are similar, they can be a bit amplified, to say the least. You don’t have to worry if you are unsure as you can easily get twin pregnancy information especially in today’s digital age. However, don’t trust search engines as much as you trust your doctor. So take good care of yourself and your baby or babies.

Bio: For over 15 years TwinStuff has provided guidance and support to parents through twins information and community. You can follow them and join in the discussion here and here.

When you find out that you’re pregnant with twins, you may start thinking and worrying about how your pregnancy will progress and how your twins are developing. Many women pregnant with twins have straightforward and uncomplicated pregnancies. Nevertheless, there are a few areas where your twin pregnancy may be different from a singleton pregnancy.

1. You may feel more sick

A new study focusing on morning sickness with twins shows that moms pregnant with twins are more at risk of vomiting and feeling nauseous compared to women expecting singletons. They are also more at risk of experiencing severe symptoms. The symptoms can start as early as +4 weeks and, in severe cases, continue throughout the pregnancy. You are more likely to experience symptoms if you carry at least one girl.

2. You’ll have more scans

When your twin pregnancy is identified your doctor will most likely – and should – see you more often than if you were pregnant with a singleton. A twin pregnancy is usually identified at the dating scan, or sooner, if you’re in fertility treatment or get an early scan. It’s important that you’re monitored regularly, especially if you carry twins that share a placenta. That’s because monochorionic twins are more at risk of twin pregnancy complications.

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3. You should gain more weight

Women carrying twins often gain more weight than women carrying singletons. This means that your belly will get bigger too. However, women pregnant with twins can have very different sized bellies even though they are at the same pregnancy week. How you are built, your pre-pregnancy weight, and whether or not you’ve been pregnant before also play a significant part. If you carry twins that share a placenta and you experience very sudden increase in body weight and rapid growth of your belly, you should contact your doctor immediately. This is because those symptoms can be signs of Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome.

Read Next | Twin Talk: What I Have Learned Since Having My Twins

4. You may give birth earlier

Full term for twins and singletons is 40 weeks. However, if you give birth three weeks prior to this – at 37+0 weeks – your twins are considered born at term. This means that your babies aren’t expected to have any issues in relation to prematurity. Roughly half of women pregnant with twins give birth at term. The other half gives birth to premature twins. In high-income countries most babies born very preterm survive.

5. You may need a caesarian

Women carrying twins are more at risk of having a c-section compared to women carrying singletons. However, many women succeed giving birth to both twins naturally. How you’ll give birth depends largely on you and your twins condition, how your babies are positioned in the womb as well as the culture and practice of your doctors.

Kate Phillipa Clark is a journalist writing about twins and their parents on about-twins.com. She’s written a great deal about twin pregnancy, twin birth and premature twins. Kate graduated with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and an Executive Master in Corporate Communication. For some years, she worked in the private sector, before launching About Twins in 2016.

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