IVF is a treatment where eggs & sperms are fertilized outside the uterus in laboratory & the embryos which are formed are transferred inside the uterus of female. To increase the probability of successful pregnancy, the practice is to transfer 2 or more than 2 embryos, resulting in multiple pregnancy. Chances of twins in normal pregnancy is ≈ 6% while with IVF reaches up to 25%.
What are different types of multiple pregnancy?
- Identical twins: look alike & are of the same sex.
- Fraternal twins: do not look alike & does not necessarily are of same sex.
- Triplets & higher order e.g., quadruplets etc.
Risk associated with multiple pregnancies:
MATERNAL
- To develop diabetes.
- To develop hypertension.
- Heavy bleeding due to placental abruption.
- Preterm delivery.
FETAL
- Fetal loss.
- Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR).
- Due to preterm delivery increased cost of NICU admission & stay.
- Developmental delay due to preterm delivery in extremely low birth weight babies.
How to identify multiple pregnancy?
- Ultrasound examination.
- Doppler heartbeat count.
- High levels of HCG.
- Increased morning sickness.
- Chronic fatigue.
- Increase in average pregnancy weight.
