Twin births = automatic "high risk" classification?

[emma1325]

Does being pregnant with twins automatically get you labeled as high risk by doctors and/or midwives?

What are the increased risks of twin births (the actual ones, not the ones slapped on by doctors/hospitals?)

Will a birthing center accept a twin pregnancy?

[Quindin]

Most, if not all providers will classify a twin pregnancy high risk.
I am sure there may be birth centers that take twin births, but I have not heard of one.
Here in the UK, because you cannot get "fired" from care, you can just tell them you WILL be having a twin homebirth. In the US is not so, unless you hire a private midwife who is comfortable with attentind twin home births.

One concern with twin pregnancies is the risk for TTTS (I lost twins at 18 weeks because of that) so it is important to check if the babies are identic or not, and then have more ultrasounds throughout the pregnancy to monitor amniotic flui levels, growth discrepancies, etc.
Also there is a increased risk (not sure whether it is a small or big increase) for cord prolapse after the vagi birth of the first twin.
There are other things to consider, too.

Having said all that, you can read story after story of wonderful twin homebirths, as well as natural birth center and hospital births on these boards!

I am a homebirther who hates hospitals. Yet, with my sad experience with a twin pregnancy, though it was very rare, I would personally request through medical monitoring and a hospital birth if I ever were to be pregnant with twins again.

[Gena 22]

Funny, I started a thread on just this issue a little while ago. Great minds, huh?

Here it is:

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...519&highlight=

[emma1325]

Originally Posted by Gena 22

Funny, I started a thread on just this issue a little while ago. Great minds, huh?

Here it is:

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...519&highlight=

Thanks!! Lots of good info there.

[Mamatoabunch]

I had midwifery care until twins were found at 16 weeks. From then on OB care through military. It was a hunt at every visit to find something wrong despite nothing ever wrong. I never believed I was high risk. I also believe had I not had been told over and over of impending doom I would not have had my water break at 35 weeks. I would have been counseled by midwife to eat optimally.

[AlexisT]

Twins are not automatically high risk in the way most people think of high risk--that is, you won't be referred to an MFM just for twins, per se. They are higher risk than singletons, and aren't considered a "low risk" pregnancy.

Most birth centers will risk out twins (I can't say none, I just don't know--but I think AABC guidelines would risk them out like VBACs). Many CNMs will also not be able to attend.

Twins with separate sacs and placentas are much lower risk than either a shared placenta (requires careful monitoring because of potential TTTS) or shared sac (VERY high risk, high death rate, always delivered early by CS). You may already know this, but it bears repeating--it's difficult to say "twins are high risk" or "twins are not high risk" because so much depends on the particulars.

[Llyra]

I think there are many midwifery practices where it's standard for multiple pregnancies to be "risked out," automatically. My midwife dropped me like a hot potato as soon as we knew we had twins, even though mine were clearly diagnosed as di/di, and thus the type with the least risk of complications.

[Belle]

I think it depends on the providers.

My midwives attend twin births at home. They attended a twin birth a few weeks before dd2 was born.

My Dh was a twin. When my MIL was pregnant with them she asked if she should have an ultrasound or something. Her OB told her "No, we only use that for high-risk moms" She wasn't considered high-risk even by her OB. Granted, this was 33 years ago. Everybody knows that womens' bodies don't work anymore like they used to. I guess birth has gotten more dangerous in 3 decades. Notice I said he "was" a twin, his brother died from a hospital acquired infection a week after they were born. Convincing my dh to have twins at home wouldn't be difficult if we ever got pregnant with twins.

[MegBoz]

Originally Posted by Belle

Everybody knows that womens' bodies don't work anymore like they used to. I guess birth has gotten more dangerous in 3 decades.

I know this is off-topic, but that cracked me up! THanks - I needed the laugh today!