Signs of Preterm Labour for Twin Pregnancy

[1bahamama]

I am new, and presently 23 weeks today with a boy/girl twins pregnancy. I am a twin with a boy, and my grandmother was a twin with a girl, but they said it usually skips a generation. I am super happy because we have a 2yr old princess anyway, but now I want to know what's the earliest twins can be born to survive and what are the signs of preterm labour. Where I live is super hot and the nearest hospital is a 20 minute flight to the capital on the emergency flight. Pretty scary, but its the island life. Can anyone share the info or have website info on the signs of preterm labour???

[mama_mimlee]

This info is at least two years old, but having been on bedrest 25 weeks of my life and dealt with preterm labor, I'd like to think I know at least a little, LOL!

If you are having contrax, painful or EVEN PAINLESS, of more than 4 an hour, you need to get checked. They don't even need to be regular.

As for infant survival, I know 24 weeks is a big deal, but 28 weeks is a magic number for twins' survival. Granted, you want to bake those little ones as long as possible to decrease the odds of developmental disorders, etc. and give their organs, esp. lungs, time to mature.

Take care and rest up!

[hergrace]

Originally Posted by mama_mimlee

If you are having contrax, painful or EVEN PAINLESS, of more than 4 an hour, you need to get checked. They don't even need to be regular.

Other signs: Change in vaginal discharge; Pelvic pressure; Low, dull backache; Cramps that feel like your period; Abdominal cramps with or without diarrhea

If preterm labour starts, the earlier in pregnancy it happens, the less it feels like labour. I have a couple of friends with 26-weekers (twins and trips) and they all had very quick, painless, spontaneous labours where they never believed that what they were feeling could be labour until the babies were born. Luckily, they both were cajoled into getting checked out by supportive partners during what turned out to be labour and the babies were all born in hospitals with excellent NICU care and all survived.

OTOH, my SIL was in and out of Labour and Delivery from 24 weeks getting contractions checked out and the babies stayed were born by c-section at 36 weeks due to unrelated complications.

I always acted on the theory that with preterm labour symptoms I preferred to have things checked too often rather than being caught out. But, it was a lot easier for me to get to the hospital. If I were you, I would want good professionals I could contact by phone to help me make the decision about when it was worth being flown in.

As for survival, 24 weeks is the earliest most hospitals will even try to save a baby. 28 weeks increases the survival rate dramatically. The risk of long term consequences drops substantially about 32 weeks.

Good luck and may you have a long and uneventful pregnancy.