3 Questions To Ask If You Are Expecting Twins And Want To See A Midwife For Your Prenatal Care

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If you are expecting twins and would like to see a midwife for the majority of your prenatal care, it is important to know that you may be able to safely do so. Although it is not always easy to find a midwife who is willing to see you during what is often considered to be a high-risk pregnancy, women have successfully given birth to healthy twins while under the care of those experienced professionals. If you are expecting two bundles of joy and are most comfortable seeing a midwife for your prenatal care, it will be very helpful to ask the following questions.

What Criteria Will Be Used To Determine If You Can Deliver Vaginally?

For many years, a cesarean section was presumed to be the safest way to deliver all twins. As modern medicine has advanced and the risks of unnecessary surgery have become more well-known, c-sections are no longer the absolute gold standard for delivering twins. However, in some cases, there are medical reasons that make vaginal deliveries unsafe.

Some of those reasons include, but are not limited to:

• Delivery occurring prior to 32 weeks

• The baby closest to the cervix is smaller than its twin

• The first baby to be delivered is breech or sideways, instead of being head down

• Symptoms of fetal distress occur, such as a diminished or abnormally high heart rate for either baby

• The presence of meconium in the fluid for either or both babies

• Abnormal or failed labor

Where Will Your Baby Be Delivered?

It is important to note that although just a bit more than one out of eight vaginal births was supervised by a certified nurse-midwife or certified midwife in 2014, the majority of those births occurred in a hospital setting. Therefore, if you plan to give birth to your twins at home or in a birthing center, it is crucial to choose a midwife who will allow you to do so, as early in your pregnancy as possible. One common reason for twins to be born in hospitals is the higher cesarean section rate for multiple births, while another is the increased risk of premature delivery for twins.

Unfortunately, it is very rare to be allowed to give birth to twins in birthing facilities due to the increased risk for mothers and babies. You may be allowed to labor at home under the care of a midwife, with the expectation of delivering in your own surroundings if everything goes as it should. If a problem occurs, like the second baby flipping to a breech position or one of your babies going into fetal distress, you could still be transferred to a hospital for emergency care. Recent statistics have confirmed that about 1% of women in the United States give birth at home, although statistics for home-births of twins cannot be verified.

Will You Be Seeing An Obstetrician Or Other Specialist In Conjunction With Your Midwife?

Although you obviously want to deliver your babies as close to your due date as you safely can, a responsible birth plan should provide for the possibility of pre-term birth or delivery. Almost six out of ten twins will arrive prematurely, which is considered to be anything short of 37 weeks for twins.

Delivering too early means that one or your both babies may need special care after birth. Therefore, it is not uncommon for midwives to work closely with an obstetrician or other health care specialist throughout much of your pregnancy. By doing so, you will also have the opportunity to become familiar with the doctor who could be delivering the babies if something went wrong.

In conclusion, it is important to know that if you have a healthy pregnancy with twins, you may be able to deliver with the assistance of a midwife. However, there are added risks to a twin pregnancy and asking your midwife the above questions before making your prenatal and birth plan will be a good idea. For more information, contact George L Stankevych MD or a similar medical professional.

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16 June 2016