Of all multiples, twins normally face the fewest medical problems and complications. Each additional baby a woman carries at one time increases the possibility of developing complications.

QUESTION

Dear Midwife,
I am about 20 weeks along and so far everything had been normal until this weekend. On Friday morning I woke up with a lot of back pain and just didn't feel well. The back pain went away as the day went on, although I have continued to just feel a little "off."

Your baby's head, arms, legs, and body are now fully formed. At 20 weeks, he weighs about 1 pound and is about 7 ½ inches in length. His movement will become increasingly noticeable to you.

Because a preterm birth can affect your child for years to come, it is important that you are aware of the signs and symptoms of preterm labor so you can identify preterm labor as early as possible and help prolong your pregnancy. Read "Preterm Labor" to learn more.

Update: Marie had her twins! As we wait for the birth story, here is the happy news! Heather was born at 4:18 p.m., weighing 3 pounds, 12 ounces, and is 16 1/2 inches long, with apgars of 8 and 9. Hannah was born at 4:19 pm, weighing in at 4 pounds even, and is 16 1/4 inches long with apgars of 8 and 9.

What a scary day for me! But I took it in stride considering I went to another stressful appointment with the final on-call doctor without my husband.

While some risk factors for premature delivery are beyond our control, prenatal care and lifestyles changes can help some women lower their risk of having a premature delivery. Find out how you can give your little one the best chances of being full term.

Babies born prior to 37 weeks of pregnancy may experience various problems due to incomplete growth and development. They may experience problems of varying severity depending on their development.