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Question about Twin Pregnancy

QUESTION

Dear Midwife,
I am 13 weeks pregnant with twins and found out at 11 weeks.

The doctors are saying they are in one sac but wont give me a definite answer about them being identical.

What does it mean that they are in the same sac? Is it possible for a membrane to just show up at any time?

ANSWER

All women have an inner sac (the amnion) and an outer sac (the chorion). Fraternal twins always each have their own amnions and chorions. Identical twins may each have their own amnions and chorions, they may share a chorion, or they may share both an amnion and chorion. It sounds like they think the babies share either a chorion or possibly both an amnion and chorion, but are not sure yet.

The way to really tell if they are identical (short of an expensive DNA test) is to have the placenta and membranes checked under a microscope after the babies are born.

There are lots of good web sites that talk about what you need to do to have a good pregnancy and a safe vaginal birth of your children, and they also provide lots of tips for moms of multiples.

Good luck to you!
-- Cynthia, CNM. PhD

Cynthia Flynn

Cynthia Flynn, CNM. PhD, is the General Director of the Family Health and Birth Center which provides prenatal, birth, postnatal, gynecological and primary health care to underserved women and their families in Washington, D.C. Recently Cynthia served as Associate Professor of Nursing at Seattle University. There she not only taught, but remained in full scope clinical midwifery practice at Valley Medical Center where she cared for pregnant and birthing women, and practices well-woman gynecology, family planning, and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases.

Cynthia founded Columbia Women's Clinic and Birth Center, where she took care of pregnant women and infants up to two weeks of age and attended both birth center and hospital births. Before Cynthia earned her CNM, she worked as a registered nurse in labor and delivery and postpartum and is a certified Doula and Doula trainer.