Expecting Multiples

Gillian found out she was having twins at an early scan. At first she was worried that the pregnancy and birth would be hard, but her confidence grew as she saw her babies growing well. She went into labor at 35 weeks.Gillian's story: I was shock...

Although multiple pregnancies and births are more likely to have complications, they are now safer than ever as advances in prenatal and postpartum care have dramatically improved the outlook for premature babies-the main concern with multiples.Y...

Your baby todayThe toes are now separate and are all the same length. The ankle joints are now mature enough to be working, although it will still be many weeks before you are likely to be conscious of any kicks. ...

  Today in the US, one in every 31 births is a twin birth. Twins are conceived in two ways that result in either identical or nonidentical twins. Identical twins occur when one fertilized egg splits into two separate cells. This type of twin ...

Your baby todayYour baby may well be head down by this stage. The head is the heaviest part and gravity plus the shape of your uterus favors a head-down position. Ask your doctor at the next visit if she can determine the position for you. ...

Your baby todayYour baby's hand coordination continues to improve as her brain is better able to make sense of the feedback it receives. The eyes will often open but only for short periods at a time, reducing the chance of a stray finger coming t...

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), more than half of twin births in the U.S occur preterm. It's important to know the signs of preterm labor in a multiple pregnancy so that you can get help in time. There are some clues, but t...

Your baby todayIncreasingly sounds enter the uterus and your baby will respond to some of the loudest. The fluid all around her can have quite an effect on the sounds that your baby can hear: the effect is similar to how you might feel when you s...

Your baby todayThe sleep-wake cycle is now more established, however just because your baby is moving you cannot assume that he is awake. He spends little time fully active with his eyes open, so many of the movements you are feeling are happenin...

Your baby todayThis color ultrasound shows the baby breathing the amniotic fluid (red, flowing toward the ultrasound beam) in and out. The baby is breathing a stream of fluid out through the nostrils and, at the same time, a smaller amount throug...

Your baby todayThe umbilical cord gradually becomes more coiled as the pregnancy progresses-as seen here on the left of the image. This coiling is thought to occur because of the many movements the embryo makes. ...

Your baby todayThis image shows the baby in profile, this time in 3D. The coils of the umbilical cord are just seen in the background passing behind the baby's head. The eyelids can be seen, still firmly closed. Fat reserves are now giving the fa...

Your baby todayIn this 3D scan the baby's skin looks quite lumpy in parts. This isn't really the case. If the baby suddenly moves during a scan, the image can have difficulty "keeping up" and creates this unusual effect. ...

Your baby todayThis close-up of the fingertips shows that the nail beds have formed and the nails are starting to grow. The nails have not yet hardened: this prevents your baby from scratching himself accidentally while he has no control over han...

What's happening insideThe ovary can be seen here at the end of the fallopian tube. At around this time of the menstrual cycle, a follicle at the surface of the ovary releases an egg, which is swept down the tube by clearly visible fingerlike pro...

Your baby todayIn this artificially colored ultrasound scan of the baby within the uterus, the spine shows up especially clearly. The two blue crosses, at the top of the baby's head and at his bottom, indicate where the rump to crown measurement ...

Your baby todayThis scan shows a cross section of your baby's brain, with the two hemispheres clearly seen. From this point on, your baby's brain measurement from one side to the other, taken just above the ear, is used as a reliable indicator of...

Your baby todayThe fetus can be seen inside the uterus on this color ultrasound scan. At this stage of development, the fetus measures approximately 2.4 in (6 cm) crown to rump and weighs around 0.3 oz (10 g). ...