Risks to the mother

For mothers, risks arising from multiple pregnancies range from the less serious to the life-threatening.

Pregnancy complications

A number of pregnancy complications (hypertension, pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes etc) may mean an early admission to hospital for the last weeks of pregnancy and that the birth may have to be induced early.

• Higher rates of miscarriage.
• 20% of women pregnant with twins suffer from pregnancy induced hypertension, compared to around 1–5% of women pregnant with a singleton. 
• Research in the UK found that the risk of pre-eclampsia was up to 30% for twin pregnancies compared to 2–10% in singleton pregnancies. 
• The risk of gestational diabetes is up to 12% in twin pregnancies compared to around 4% for singleton pregnancies.
• Higher chance of intervention in delivery. Elective and emergency caesarean section rates are higher for mothers of twins.

Maternal mortality

There is a 1/25,000 risk of maternal mortality during singleton pregnancy or birth versus 2/25,000 risk of maternal mortality during twin pregnancy or birth.