Twins & Multiples

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When Are Twins Usually Born?

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One of the early questions asked by newly expecting moms is, when are twins usually born? Because twins are a little bit unusual, they put a little bit more strain than normal on the bodies of twinny moms. That’s why a twin pregnancy follows a slightly different pattern than a standard singleton pregnancy.

Thankfully, with proper care, there’s nothing stopping your twins from being born 100% healthy and happy. But knowing what’s going to happen in our twin pregnancy always makes us feel so much more comfortable and relaxed, so here’s what to expect in your twin pregnancy, including when they’re probably going to be due, and what this means for you and your babies.

When Are Twins Usually Born?

Over half of twins are born before the 37th week, and almost one in six pairs of twins will be born before the 32nd week. This is pretty normal. In fact, pregnancy specialists consider the 37th week to be full term for twins, because of the different physiological changes and stresses placed on the body, so if you’re told that your babies are going to be early, don’t worry. Because of this, the average week for twins to be born is actually the 35th week.

Almost half of twins will also end up spending extra time in hospital under special supervision and care, as well. Usually because of issues and complications that come with early delivery and being slightly smaller and lighter than average.

When Are Twins Usually Born

You’re probably asking when are twins usually born? Well, as long as your twins are delivered between the 32nd and 37th week, there’s generally nothing to worry about. It’s unlikely to cause major complications or health problems, and all your doctor might ask is to keep your new babies under slightly closer supervision to make sure that everything is fine. However, if your babies are born before 32 weeks, then there are likely to be complications with breathing and health, which increase in severity the more premature they are.

Why Are Twins Born Prematurely?

No one knows exactly what triggers labour, so it’s hard to say for sure why do twins come early, because studying the causes of premature births in twins is surprisingly difficult. However, there are certain things that are linked to early delivery, which can include:

  • Pre-eclampsia and higher blood pressure in general
  • Gestational and pre-existing diabetes
  • STDs
  • Placental bleeding
  • Intra uterine growth restriction (IUGR)
  • Twin to twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS)
  • Monochorionic pregnancy, (Mono di or mono mono twins)
  • Membrane rupture and infection risks

This probably won’t affect you, purely because most of these conditions should be picked up by your doctor in your checks ups, and they will advise you of the best way to deal with existing conditions. However, the one thing you must remember is if you begin experiencing labour symptoms, the best thing to do is immediately call your labour ward. Whatever happens to you, they are equipped to deal with it, and if you need immediate help, having them on the other end of the phone is the best thing you can do.

Twins Are Almost Always Smaller and Lighter, Too

Because twins share a womb, and mommy has to provide blood and nutrients for them both, twins are almost always slightly smaller than a singleton baby would be at the same stage of pregnancy. This is completely normal, and nothing to worry about. It’s not going to affect your babies in any way, and your doctor will advise you how your babies are doing at all stages in your pregnancy.

The only time this will ever cause problems is if one twin is getting a larger share of blood and nutrients from their mom, in something called twin to twin transfusion syndrome, or TTTS. If this happens, then your doctor will pick it up and advise you on what needs to be done. In most cases, it’s not going to cause much of an issue. One baby will just be slightly smaller and lighter than the other at birth, but with love and care, there’s nothing stopping them from growing up big and strong, just like their sibling.

facts about advanced maternal age and twins

However, in the most extreme cases, your babies might need surgical intervention. Luckily, modern science is now so advanced that even something this major and complicated can be easily dealt with, with the minimum of risk to you and your children.  

When are Twins usually born? Did they come on time, or were they early? How did you deal with this, and how did it affect your twins? There’s sure to be mothers in similar situations, so any advice you can offer on the question when are twins usually born will be a great help to everyone. We encourage you to share everything you can, so any other moms going through tough times have the best information possible.  

5 COMMENTS

  1. My twin girls were born at 41 weeks 4 days and were 7 pounds 11 ounces and 6 pounds 8 ounces. I can’t seem to find anything about other twins being carried for this long! They were both healthy with no issues.

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