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Singletons & Multiples

Pregnancy outcomes can vary for singleton and multiple births. Multiple births include twins, triplets and higher orders of birth. Data shows that for multiples, there are higher odds of preterm birth, low birth weight, morbidities, mortality and longer stays in the hospital after birth. 1 For moms, there are increased risks for developing complications during pregnancy and childbirth such as miscarriage, gestational diabetes, preeclampsia and postpartum hemorrhage. Multiples are also more likely to be delivered via Cesarean birth.2 Understanding these differences can help moms and providers plan for optimal birth outcomes.

1. Kalikkot Thekkeveedu, R., Dankhara, N., Desai, J., Klar, A. L., & Patel, J. (2021). Outcomes of multiple gestation births compared to singleton: analysis of multicenter KID database. Maternal health, neonatology and perinatology, 7(1), 1-11.

2. Complications of Multiple Pregnancy. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Available at: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/staying-healthy-during-pregnancy/complications-of-multiple-pregnancy

Last updated: March 2024