Twins and more - Multiple Pregnancy

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Types of multiple pregnancy and their importance, Complications, Delivery, Weblinks

Introduction
Multiple pregnancies have their own problems at each stage of a pregnancy. Twins are the most common multiple pregnancy, with triplets and quadruplets etc. much less common. One of the reasons for an increase in the attention afforded multiple pregnancy has been the rise in these pregnancies as a result of assisted conception and ovulation stimulation techniques.

Types of multiple pregnancy and their importance
Twins and more can be identical or mono -zygotic (where the twins come from the same egg and sperm) or non-identical or dizygotic (where they arise from two or more eggs and sperm). When non-identical twins implant in the womb they always have two separate sacs and placentas (dichorionic, chorion being one of the sac membranes). If the twins are identical, they may or may not share a sac; it depends how long after conception the split takes place. (continued next page)