Having a twin pregnancy is not a guarantee that you will have to go on bed rest. Some health care providers will insist on it, but many others will not. However, because of the increased risks of complications that accompany a twin or multiple pregnancy, you should be prepared for the possibility that you might have to go on bed rest.

One of the most common reasons that a woman who is pregnant with twins might have to go on bed rest is that she is at an increased risk for premature labor and birth. Mothers who have a twin or multiple pregnancy are twice as likely to have preterm labor than mothers who have only one baby. Having a preterm baby can lead to a variety of health complications for your baby. If your health care provider believes that you are likely to go into preterm labor, you will probably be put on bed rest, possibly as early as your 24th week of pregnancy. Being on bed rest will help to take pressure off of the cervix, help to keep your uterus from having contractions, and it will also help to alleviate stress on your organs and increase the flow of nutrients to your babies.

Another serious risk for moms who are pregnant with multiples is the risk of high blood pressure, or pregnancy-induced hypertension. If this is very severe, it can even be preeclampsia. Preeclampsia is extremely serious, and typically is treated with bed rest. Here again, being on bed rest helps to lessen the stress that would otherwise be put on your heart, circulatory system, and your kidneys. By being on bed rest, you will lessen the risk of you yourself having problems with your preeclampsia. After delivery, the high blood pressure goes away, typically without any long-term effects.

The good news is that, even if you do have to put up with a few weeks of bed rest, it is likely that your babies will be born healthy and happy. With the advances in medical technology that have happened in the last few decades, many more moms of twins and multiples are carrying their babies to full term, and are having fewer and fewer complications than they had fifty years ago.

Posted in Pregnancy

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