How to Know Twins from Pregnancy Symptoms

If one of your family trees has twins, will you wonder if you also have a chance to get twin babies? I personally believe that every parent, especially new mom would be happy for either single or twin babies.  But in some family, this also means double responsibility and extra educational fund.  There is only one way to be certain that twins are on the way, but there are a few early pregnancy signs that can predict twins.

HCG and morning sickness is the first sign.  HCG levels rising more than double or continuing to double after a few weeks can be a sign of a multiple pregnancy as the body is working harder to support the development of two babies instead of one. Higher levels of HCG can also mean more bouts or more violent bouts of morning sickness. Many women carrying twins will often find that they experience the same symptoms of women with single pregnancies but at a much higher degree. So, if your morning sickness is worse than previous pregnancies, you may be carrying multiples.

Note: HCG is commonly known as the "pregnancy hormone," whereby levels rise after conception and continue rising until the end of the first trimester. The hormone is responsible for regulating the levels of progesterone necessary for maintaining a healthy pregnancy. Doctors can check the progress of a pregnancy during the first three months by measuring the amount of HCG in the urine or blood. However, higher HCG levels do not provide a conclusive diagnosis for twins because it can vary greatly from person to person and from one day to the next.  

The second pregnancy sign for twins is rapid weight gain in the first trimester. Carrying twins will also result in greater weight gain, not only because of the greater mass of the babies, but also in the fat reserves that the mother stores in order to support the baby both during pregnancy and after delivery when she is lactating. If you weigh significantly more than average for your pregnancy date, it could be a sign of twins. 

Note: Since weight gain in the first two trimesters is the most important for a healthy baby, don't try to slow it down if you're above average unless recommended by your doctor. Twins will need the extra growth spurts.

The third pregnancy sign for twin is higher than normal AFP (alpha fetoprotein).  AFP is a growth hormone released by the baby, but it is detectable in the mother's blood. AFP tests are usually given around 16 to 18 weeks and detect nearly half of all twin pregnancies. If your doctor detects high AFP levels, there's a good chance you are having twins.

Fourth pregnancy sign for twin is fundal height, or the size of the uterus.  This is one of the best ways to predict multiple pregnancies. Fundal height, a measurement from the top of your pubic bone to the top of your uterus, is generally associated with gestational age. If your fundal height is consistently large for your baby's gestational age, there's a chance you're carrying twins. Generally, physicians will order an ultrasound at the first sign of significant fundal height difference to test for multiple pregnancy.

Now what is the exact way to know you are having twins is ultrasound check.  Usually, you can expect to hear the heartbeats at your first ultrasound scan at around 12 weeks, while it actually can be seen by ultrasound from as early as six to seven weeks gestation if your doctor performs an early scan due to the above list. Seeing and hearing the presence of two heartbeats instead of one will confirm that you have enough luck or not.