finding twins after 20 weeks?

WestieMama

The other day my nurse was filling out some paperwork, and she said, "as far as we know, there's only one baby in there we know of right now."  Do people really find out they're having twins at their 20 week ultrasound??  That sounds crazy to me!  My last ultrasound was at 6 weeks and was pretty thorough (I had one in the hospital and they looked at my ovaries, etc), but that nurse sure scared me!!! (It doesn't help that I'm just 17 weeks but look over 20 weeks pregnant this time around)

Gabs71109

Maybe she was trying to be funny?

katiewhompus

I guess there's a small chance that at 6 weeks one could still be hiding?

Or if the person had my insurance plan where you don't get dopplar until 14 weeks and an ultrasound at 18.

WestieMama

haha, maybe!  I might not have caught on!  The thought of having twins and a deploying husband didn't sound too funny to me!

damabo80

Many normal women only have one u/s at 20 weeks (hence the term the "big" ultrasound). So, yes, it is possible that many women find out they are carrying twins at 20 weeks.

WestieMama

damabo80:

Many normal women only have one u/s at 20 weeks (hence the term the "big" ultrasound). So, yes, it is possible that many women find out they are carrying twins at 20 weeks.

That makes sense!  I guess my question is how common it is to find out after already having one ultrasound, then?

damabo80

WestieMama:

damabo80:

Many normal women only have one u/s at 20 weeks (hence the term the "big" ultrasound). So, yes, it is possible that many women find out they are carrying twins at 20 weeks.

That makes sense!  I guess my question is how common it is to find out after already having one ultrasound, then?

If their first u/s is at 6w (like really 6 weeks...not "my period was 6 weeks ago, but I'm only measuring 4w") or later, than I would say it's pretty darn rare, or the dr needs to upgrade their u/s equipment.

KtGirl88

I dont think so. Even at 6 weeks you would see two little specks or two yolk sacks. You would also be able to hear two heartbeats at your other appointments. Im sure it happens every once in a while if people arent getting ultrasounds or regular check ups but I cant see a normal doctors office missing two heartbeats. I am 19 weeks but look much bigger!

CantWaitToBeMommy

So far there's only one in me but I got my fingers and toes crossed for 15 in there! The hell with octomom! lol

momtoRaegan041008

KtGirl88:

I dont think so. Even at 6 weeks you would see two little specks or two yolk sacks. You would also be able to hear two heartbeats at your other appointments. Im sure it happens every once in a while if people arent getting ultrasounds or regular check ups but I cant see a normal doctors office missing two heartbeats. I am 19 weeks but look much bigger!

Like the other posters said, if you only get one u/s around 20 weeks, then yes you might not know you are carrying twins.  Most dr's are not looking for 2 heartbeats when they check the heartbeat at each appt.  They find one, record the heartbeat and move on.  So yes, there is always a possibility you could be carrying twins if you didn't have an early u/s.  Also, I have heard people saying that they found out they were having twins and one was just hiding on the u/s.

Yellow_Daisy

After my IVF I had an u/s at 6 weeks where they look for a hb, etc.  My RE had me come back at 8 weeks to check the baby out and to make sure there weren't two.  They said it doesn't happen a lot, but that since the baby/sac are so small at 6 weeks and the heart starts beating in the 6th week that it does happen that a slower developing baby could be hidden and they find it at 8 weeks.

So I guess if you only had an u/s a 6 weeks and 20 weeks that it is possible that you wouldn't know you were having twins until 20 weeks.  Although I think your doctor would have picked up the extra heartbeat on the doppler during one of your monthly visits by 20 weeks.

WestieMama

Yellow_Daisy:

After my IVF I had an u/s at 6 weeks where they look for a hb, etc.  My RE had me come back at 8 weeks to check the baby out and to make sure there weren't two.  They said it doesn't happen a lot, but that since the baby/sac are so small at 6 weeks and the heart starts beating in the 6th week that it does happen that a slower developing baby could be hidden and they find it at 8 weeks.

So I guess if you only had an u/s a 6 weeks and 20 weeks that it is possible that you wouldn't know you were having twins until 20 weeks.  Although I think your doctor would have picked up the extra heartbeat on the doppler during one of your monthly visits by 20 weeks.

 good to know!  I'm not expecting there to be two in there, but they had a hard time even finding one baby in there the first time.  She basically told me there was no fetal pole and then zoomed in about 5 mintues later and was like, "oh, there's the baby!"  Way to make me have a heart attack!  I thought I was 8 weeks along based on LMP, but I was only 6 and the baby was so teeny tiny! 

I doubt my dr. has taken the time to try to find two heartbeats...he doesn't even record the heartbeat number and gets annoyed every time I ask for it.  Last time he said, "Do you really need to know?"  Needless to say, I'm switching docs for my next appt.

 

WestieMama

and I just saw this post.  Crazy to not see them at the first ultrasound!

amygoable

Don't worry, you probably only have one. If you had two, the top of your uterus would have been WAY higher early on, you'd have had to wear maternity clothes by 12 weeks, and you'd have had a bump probably before that! Also, you'd probably feel movement earlier because of how stretched out you'd be. I had an IVF 7 week ultrasound in my first pregnancy, and the two sacs/embryos were obvious. Also, though I got sicker earlier this time with a singleton, I had WAY worse vomiting with twins.

Also, by now you'd likely look closer to 6 months along rather than just a month ahead. I'd say 4 weeks ahead belly-wise is normal if you've been pregnant before.

Just saying, don't stress! You'd probably know!

amos07

Don't worry about looking over 20 weeks, I do too and this is my second as well.  I would think that by this point your doctor would have picked up two different heart beats on the doppler but I suppose it could always be possible.  

cherihall20

Yep!!! It is what happened to me with my first pregancy!!!! I know it sounds crazy. I had my first u/s at 7 wks and we saw the baby on the right side of my uterus. All of my dr apts after that when they went to listen for the hb they checked on my right side and alway found it. Then I went to my 20 wk u/s. As soon as the tech put the thing on me she said "Oh, your having twins!"  I said "NO!" She was like " here is baby A and here is baby B"! 

So I look at the monitor and I see 2 perfict circles right next to one another! The first thing that came out of my mom's mouth was " your sh!tin me???!!!" I started to cry my eyes out! I was 19 at the time and did not know how I was going to take care of one baby much less two! The tech keep telling me I had to calm down cause she could not see with my belly moving. And I'm thinking REALLY... you just told me I'm having twins and I'm suppose to calm down!!!!!

Turns out they where fraternal girls and they where on different sides of my uterus. Guess that is why it was not picked up at the 7wk u/s.

This time I had me Dr look around for like 10 mins to make sure I was only having one this time! 

Crazy I know, but it does happen!

momtojake

yes people can find out at that 20 week ultrasound that there are twins in there.  It happened to a friend of mine.  Only one showed up on her 10 week ultrasound, doc said they were hiding behind each other. 

12bailey18

damabo80:

Many normal women only have one u/s at 20 weeks (hence the term the "big" ultrasound). So, yes, it is possible that many women find out they are carrying twins at 20 weeks.

This exactly! And if you hear the heartbeat right away at your apts., than more than likely they don't "search around" for a second heartbeat. I know my OB's never have!

google123

very very unlikely for a twin not to be seen at 6 weeks.  I've never heard of it, although I suppose there are those 1 in a million chances out there.  The u/s tech would have to be pretty incompetent.

WestieMama

amygoable:

Don't worry, you probably only have one. If you had two, the top of your uterus would have been WAY higher early on, you'd have had to wear maternity clothes by 12 weeks, and you'd have had a bump probably before that! Also, you'd probably feel movement earlier because of how stretched out you'd be. I had an IVF 7 week ultrasound in my first pregnancy, and the two sacs/embryos were obvious. Also, though I got sicker earlier this time with a singleton, I had WAY worse vomiting with twins.

Also, by now you'd likely look closer to 6 months along rather than just a month ahead. I'd say 4 weeks ahead belly-wise is normal if you've been pregnant before.

Just saying, don't stress! You'd probably know!

haha, that doesn't rest my fears because this is true!  But my last baby was as big as some twins' birth weight combined, so I'm not too worried