When a woman becomes pregnant, the thing she may be most curious about aside from the sex of the baby is how many babies there are. Multiple pregnancies that occur through natural methods are a mystery to some people. It is interesting to learn about what causes twin babies in order to determine if it is a possibility for everyone.
Twins that are conceived without the use of fertility drugs are made in two ways. The first is the release of multiple eggs or more than one ovulation at the same time. Each of the eggs is fertilized by a separate sperm, resulting in fraternal (non-identical) twins. The second way is when only one egg is released and fertilized, which then splits into two. This splitting of the egg creates identical twin embryos within the uterus.
The possible differences continue throughout the period of pregnancy. There may be either singular or multiple placentas and amniotic sacs. It is important to determine whether only one sac is present because this situation will cause the twins to be at risk for complications. Possible situations include the umbilical cord becoming entangled or the development of birth defects.
If twins occupy separate amniotic sacs, there are not inherent risks than the singular variety of pregnancy. The main complications that can occur pertain to premature labor and delivery. Identical twin embryos also run the risk of twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome. This condition involves a problem with the placenta that causes only one baby to receive all the nutrients. If untreated, the baby that does not receive nutrients may die and the larger baby may have too much fluid surrounding it, leading to possible heart failure.
When a woman learns that she is pregnant with twin babies, she may have a lot of questions regarding how this happened and whether any extra care should be taken during pregnancy. The situation is simply one of nature's miracles and usually will not present any complications. As long as the babies do not share amniotic sacs, the most common issues are going into early labor and giving birth prematurely.
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