Multiple Pregnancy: Twins or More

Symptoms

If you are pregnant with more than one fetus, you can expect to have the same symptoms as those of a pregnancy with one fetus (called a singleton pregnancy). But the symptoms may happen earlier and may be worse. A multiple pregnancy is likely to cause:

• Early and excessive nausea and vomiting in the first trimester.
• Extra weight gain.
• Backache.
• A uterus that is larger than expected for your due date.
• More fetal movement than expected during the second trimester and later.

Pregnancy: Dealing with morning sickness

Later in the pregnancy, you are more likely to have:

• Varicose veins.
• Constipation.
• Hemorrhoids.
• Increasing backache.
• Difficulty breathing (caused by pressure on the lungs from the uterus pushing up on the diaphragm).
• Indigestion (caused by pressure on the stomach from the large uterus).
• A very large abdomen.
• Gestational diabetes.
• Preeclampsia, a serious disorder of circulation and blood pressure that affects both mother and fetuses.
• Preterm labor.

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Author:	Debby Golonka, MPH	Last Updated: July 24, 2007
Medical Review:	Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine Gregory A L Davies, MD, FRCSC, FACOG - Maternal-Fetal Medicine
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