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.