Twins, Triplets, Multiple Births Summary If you are pregnant with more than one baby, you are far from alone. Multiple births are up in the United States. More women are having babies after age 30 and more are taking fertility drugs. Both boost the chance of carrying more than one baby. A family history of twins also makes multiples more likely. Years ago, most twins came as a surprise. Now, most women know about a multiple pregnancy early. Women with multiple pregnancies should see their health care providers more often than women who are expecting one baby. Multiple pregnancy babies have a much higher risk of being born prematurely and having a low birth weight. There is also more of a risk of disabilities. Some women have to go on bed rest to delay labor. Finally, they may deliver by C-section, especially if there are three babies or more. Parenting multiples can be a challenge. Volunteer help and support groups for parents of multiples can help. Dept. of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health Start Here Being Pregnant with Twins, Triplets and Other Multiples March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation Caring for Multiples March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation Challenges of Parenting Multiples American Society for Reproductive Medicine Having Twins? How to Stay Healthy American Academy of Pediatrics Multiple Pregnancy American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Parenting Multiples Nemours Foundation Preparing for Multiple Births Nemours Foundation Twins, Triplets, and Other Multiples Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women’s Health Related Issues Breast-Feeding Twins: Making Feedings Manageable Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Conjoined Twins Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Difference Between Identical and Fraternal Twins American Academy of Pediatrics Fertility Drugs and the Risk of Multiple Births American Society for Reproductive Medicine Preparing for Twins American Academy of Pediatrics Clinical Trials ClinicalTrials.gov: Pregnancy, Multiple National Institutes of Health ClinicalTrials.gov: Twins National Institutes of Health Specifics Complications and Problems Associated with Multiple Births American Society for Reproductive Medicine Statistics and Research FastStats: Multiple Births National Center for Health Statistics Find an Expert Find a Pediatrician or Pediatric Specialist American Academy of Pediatrics KidsHealth Nemours Foundation National Institute of Child Health and Human Development National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Diagnosis and Tests Obstetrical Ultrasound Array Journal Articles Twins, Triplets, Multiple Births Array Surviving Bed Rest Nemours Foundation Twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome Encyclopedia Twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome Children When You Are a Twin or Triplet Nemours Foundation Latest News Births of Triplets, Quadruplets on Decline in U.S.: Report HealthDay Two Genes May Raise Odds for Fraternal Twin Pregnancies HealthDay
