Why Do Some Women Have Multiple Pregnancies?
Multiple pregnancies occur when a woman bears more than one child at a time. A growing number of women are taking fertility treatments and falling pregnant at later ages, which increases the likelihood of multiple pregnancies. Once you confirm your conception using the best pregnancy kit in India, you have to wait around 10 to 14 weeks to know whether you have multiple pregnancies.
If you are pregnant with multiples, you have an increased chance of experiencing issues including preterm labor, hypertension, and fetal growth restriction. So, here, in this article, we will go through the reasons why some women get pregnant with multiple babies.
Understanding Multiple Pregnancies
Usually, multiple pregnancies occur when more than one egg is fertilized by the sperm. It can also occur when a fertilized egg divides into two or more embryos, each of which develops into a baby. It makes for two different types of multiple babies, which include identical and non-identical. Since multiple pregnancies are more common after IVF, you can ensure it by visiting an obstetrician if you are getting positive signs after embryo transfer.
Identical twins, triplets, or multiple babies are the offspring produced when a single fertilized egg divides into two. They have the same DNA and an almost identical appearance. Fraternal twins are born when two different eggs are fertilized by two separate sperm. They are no more similar than any other siblings from various pregnancies of the mother and do not share the same DNA.
If you are expecting triplets or more, all your children may be identical, all fraternal, or a combination of the two. Your body may release several eggs, and if more than one of them is fertilized, this may occur. When you have several fertilized eggs, and at least one of those eggs divides after fertilization, you have both identical and fraternal multiples.
Why Do Women Have Multiple Pregnancies?
The most prevalent type of pregnancy is one with a singleton or one child. But nowadays, there are more multiple pregnancies than in the past. This is mostly because more individuals have children later in life. Parents over 30 are more likely to have multiples.
Additionally, more people are getting pregnant through fertility procedures. People who have fertility therapy are also more likely to have several children. Let’s delve deeper into why multiple pregnancies occur.
Age Of The Parent
Women aged above 30 are more likely than younger women to release two or more eggs at once, even without a doctor’s assistance. Fertility treatments further increase the chance of getting pregnant with multiple pregnancies. One of the possible reasons is that older women’s bodies produce more ovary-stimulating hormones, which gives their ovaries a boost.
Moreover, ethnicity can also play a significant factor. As per studies, Asian women are the least likely to have twins, and African-American women are the most likely.
Runs In The Family
Family history of multiple births is also a deciding factor in whether you will have multiple pregnancies. If you yourself are multiple or if multiples run in your family, your risk of becoming pregnant with multiples is higher. This genetic feature often runs on the mother’s side of the family.
A woman has significantly more chances of getting pregnant with fraternal twins if her mother or sibling also has fraternal twins. The prevalence of fraternal multiples is considerably higher in women with higher body mass indexes (BMI).
Fertility Treatments And In-Vitro Fertilization
Another factor that may contribute to multiple pregnancies is the usage of reproductive medications. Techniques like in vitro fertilization (IVF) sometimes entail putting more than one fertilized egg into your womb. It occurs when a doctor removes eggs from a woman’s ovaries, frequently following the use of fertility medications.
Outside of the womb, the eggs are fertilized by sperm before being returned to the uterus. They can raise your chance of having multiple pregnancies. To enhance the likelihood of a healthy pregnancy, your physician typically transfers more than one egg at once.
Height Of Parent
Taller mothers have more chances of multiples. The hormone insulin-like growth factor, or IGF, may cause a woman’s ovaries to produce more eggs, but further studies are required to confirm this. They are more likely to become pregnant with twins, according to a researcher who specializes in multiple-birth pregnancies. In response to growth hormones, the liver releases a protein called IGF. It enhances the receptivity of the ovaries to follicle-stimulating hormones, resulting in more ovulation.
Conclusion
You might require additional medical attention during pregnancy, labor, and delivery if you are carrying multiple babies. You might need to have more prenatal care exams so your doctor can keep an eye out for any issues with you or your unborn child. You and your unborn child can benefit from specialized healthcare for the highest quality of treatment.
In multiple pregnancies, the necessity for regular, intense prenatal care is crucial. Additionally, you might require additional prenatal exams to monitor your developing children during your pregnancy.
