Twin MoMs - are you high risk?

dec13th · July 2009

I just got back from my 24 week appt and around here, twins are not high rish. I see a regular OB and not a peri nor a MFM. Suppossedly all my scans are reviewed by a peri/MFM. Hope this is true. I am just so surprised by the number of women who post who are having twins and see a specialist.

(This bugged me so I brought it up again today and was told I'm not high risk). I wonder if it is b/c IF treatment is covered in MA and there are so many twins? (But my doc's are all in RI).

mmbench · July 2009

If your practice has experience with twins (and it sounds like it if a peri/MFM is reviewing your tests), then you wouldn't necessarily need a high risk dr.

I was showing signs pretty early of trouble and was transferred at the request of my OB at 24 weeks.

mb72105 · July 2009

This is a two sided coin. I am High risk because of multiples but my pregnancy has been "perfect" so far. I do not see an RE or Peri or MFM. My OB specializes in high risk and multiples so there is no need for me to go elsewhere. Some OB's do not have the training or confidence so they suggest further review by other physicians. Trust in your OB, if anything changes, I am sure you will be referred to a specialists. Congrats!

omalley · July 2009

I went to my regular ob and did not see a specialist - they never called me high risk. My sister's practice called her high risk with a singleton b/c she was 35 yrs old or over which I was too. I wonder - does it depend on the dr or is there certain criteria?

Sorry, I know I answered your question with a question but only b/c I do not know. Congrats on having a good pregnancy!

AlpacaBunny · July 2009

IF treatmens are covered in IL too, which is where I live, and I was considered high risk. I also have some blood clotting disorders, so that could also be part of why I was considered high risk. But my OB didn't do any of my u/s during my pregnancy, the Peri did all of them. I was going every 4 weeks to the peri for an u/s and then toward the end I was going there once a week for NSTs. At my OB's office they had my pregnancy marked 'high risk' from the beginning, I was told it was b/c the babies were conceived with fertility treatments and b/c I was carrying twins.

kiki408 · July 2009

I see a peri by choice. I was sent to her early on because we were unsure about whether the babies were separated by a membrane or not. After we found that they were, we sat down and spoke about our choices. She said I'm not necessarily "high risk" and that I would be perfectly fine with an OB, but that I was welcome to stay within her practice. We chose to stay. I figured that because my twins are identical and share a placenta, why not!?

mrscalkins · July 2009

I had a textbook pregnancy and was still considered high risk because I was having twins. I didn't see a peri but one of the OB's in the practice I was at handles high risk pgs, IF treatments, etc. He (and his partner for that matter) were very confident in the level of care they offered for multiples.

carder0716 · July 2009

I've only seen my OB. I asked early on what his intentions were for me to see a specialist, and his response was not unless he identifies a problem. He also pointed out that there is only 1 specialty practice in town so he doesn't refer unless necessary. He doesn't consider me high risk because twins is the only risk factor I have...no other disease states, age, 2 separate sacs, each baby has their own placenta.

abbzy85 · July 2009

carder0716:
I've only seen my OB. I asked early on what his intentions were for me to see a specialist, and his response was not unless he identifies a problem. He also pointed out that there is only 1 specialty practice in town so he doesn't refer unless necessary. He doesn't consider me high risk because twins is the only risk factor I have...no other disease states, age, 2 separate sacs, each baby has their own placenta.

Does this mean that you see your regular OB every 4 weeks like a single pregnancy or do you go every 2 weeks because of the twins?

carder0716 · July 2009

Usually every 4 weeks (some have been 3 weeks). My next appt is next week. He informed me that after that I will be seeing more of him that I ever wanted. I'm assuming I'll be moving to every 2, then 1 at some point.

Temp6313048411121614 · July 2009

I'm not considered high risk and won't see a MFM/Peri. I asked my OB if I needed to see a Peri and he said that he's had pretty much the same training and that he didn't feel it was needed. I trust my OB with my health and my babies' health 110% so if he says I don't need one, I feel confident with that.

Melin086 · July 2009

I was told by my OB that all twin pregnancies are considered high risk. I didn't specifically see a peri, but she consulted with one when I had cervix shortening and preterm contractions. A peri also always looked at my ultrasounds.

kelliwill · July 2009

MrsLee04:
If you asked any peri/MFM they would tell you ALL twins are high risk.

Ditto. I was just seeing my reg. doc til I found out it was twins. I asked about seeing a peri and they said not nec. unless there was a problem. Then I switched a better OB clinic where each OB has experience with twins, has a better on-call emergency procedure, and just felt better in general. I had my NT scan last week with a peri who determined they are identical b/c they share a sac and he was very clear that he would see me again in 4 weeks (6/30) and then after that every two weeks. So, I was lucky I didn't have to ask to be referred he just saw me and will contonue to see me. However, I saw my new OB today for the first time and she said, "you are very healthy and not over 35 (I'm 33), however, just the fact that you are having multiples makes you high risk." When we talked about waht rec's the peri had she said, "He's the boss." I should note however the message I got from my first Dr was not that at all and they didn't consider me to be high risk even with twins. I personally feel much better being monitored by both my peri and my OB, especially since they share a placenta (higher risk than if they each had their own). Also, if you read Dr. Luke's book she says get a peri. I think you need to do what you feel best and most comfortable with. If you feel well taken care of then you will do better. This is my first pregnancy and I tend to be anxious anyway, so I feel better with one, but that's me. I also think there is a difference between a peri and someone with "experience" with twins. Just like each Dr has some different rec's for each pregnant woman (don't dye hair, it's okay to dye hair) they seem to have different opinions about what is high risk. I wonder too if it has to do with the set up where you live. In my area there is literally one peri in the county and he will monitor me closely and then he stays in contact with my OB, but the OB will deliver. I don't know if that's the same or different for others. I say do what you feel comfortable with and maybe find a MoM group in your area and see what they did, who they saw etc. GL!!

kimarino13 · July 2009

My RE told me not to even bother going to an OBGYN after I am released at 10 weeks because I am having identical twins. This automatically puts me in the high risk category, and I will be seeing a peri from week 10 on.

NewMommy2BeFinally · July 2009

i see a peri every 2 weeks along with my doctor. my peri & ob say all twin pregnancies are considered high risk.

jlc071903 · July 2009

ALL twins are high risk. I fyou aren't seen a MFM/peri then your OB needs to make you a high priority case...this was what I was (until I ended up in L&D at 21.5 weeks)....I could call in and see my Dr ASAP b/c I was a high priority...she did this with ALL of her twin Moms....she automatically sent Trip moms to our peri

IMO it is MUCH better to have the extra monitoring...so much can go wrong so fast with a mutiples pg.

MrsARC1105 · July 2009

I wasnt until they discovered the vasa previa. My OB has a ton of experience with multiples and I was delivering at a leading hospital in terms of OB and NICU care.

sara1014 · July 2009

Technically I'm "classified" as high risk by my OB's office, but they handle high risk pregnancies (at least what I would call "low" high risk with fraternal twins) so I don't see anyone else. I would imagine, though, if I had other complicating factors like high BP, identical twins sharing a placenta, etc. I'd also see a peri. That's the impression I've gotten anyway.

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