Twins

Most twins are fraternal. In that case, 2 eggs are released during ovulation, and both are fertilized. But a twin pregnancy can also arise because one fertilized egg splits itself and two embryos start to grow. Then one speaks of identical twins. The medical name for twins is gemelli.

THE FIRST ECHO

The surprise is often great when parents find out during the first ultrasound that they can expect two children. This is also when the sonographer will try to determine if the babies are fraternal or fraternal. Depending on the septum in the amniotic sac containing the embryos, it is possible to see whether the babies each have their own amniotic sac (amnion) and/or their own placenta (chorion).

AT THE GYNECOLOGIST

With twins, you have a medical indication for care during pregnancy and childbirth in the hospital. This care will be provided by the gynecologist. More ultrasounds are also made to see if the children are growing well. The risk of complications such as stunted growth or premature birth is also slightly higher than with a singleton pregnancy