Twin pregnancy

Twins account for 2-3% of all births. They carry significant risks to both mothers and babies. These risks include preterm delivery, intrauterine growth restriction, and pre-eclampsia. In addition, monochorionic gestations confer an even higher rate of perinatal morbidity and mortality arising from a shared placenta due to placental anastomoses, which may lead to twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) or twin anaemia-polycythaemia sequence (TAPS). It is essential that chorionicity is established in the first trimester in order to initiate the appropriate antenatal management and surveillance. In view of the high risk of both maternal and fetal complications, twin pregnancies are ideally managed in a dedicated clinic according to agreed protocols with both obstetric and midwifery input.