At an ultrasound, it was confirmed — you're pregnant with twins! Double the blessings and double the weight gain during pregnancy? In this article, we answer your questions about twins.
What’s the usual amount a woman gains when she's pregnant with twins?
As with all pregnancies, the amount a woman gains depends on many indicators — primarily on your BMI before pregnancy. On average, many doctors suggest that for a pregnancy with twins, you will need to gain 37 to 77 lbs. This means your caloric intake will increase by about 600 calories per day [1]. But there are not hard-fast guidelines about weight gain for mothers of twins [2].
So, should I worry about how much I eat?
No. Studies show that the more an expectant mother restricts her calorie intake, the higher the risk of premature birth with twins [2]. Insufficient weight gain more often than excess weight leads to miscarriage or premature birth [3].
Are there special diets for pregnancies with multiples?
No. There are no convincing studies confirming the effectiveness of a particular diet for a mother of twins. There are assumptions that mothers of multiples should eat a high-protein and high-calorie diet. This is because when your body is growing two (or more!) babies, your calories will be consumed faster. And with multiplies, there is a high probability of premature birth, and the more weight the babies gain while in the womb, the better [4].
Should I increase my vitamin and mineral supplementation if I have twins?
Most likely, this is a reasonable decision, but also not yet confirmed [4]. Obviously, two babies need more vitamins and minerals than one, but it is not yet clear whether it is worth doubling the dosage at once. Talk to your doctor. There are, however, studies that show that the increased intake of vitamin supplements during the planning phase before pregnancy, increases the likelihood of multiple pregnancies [5].
