Some questions about twin pregnancies...

[editingfairy]

Not for me! I'm editing a book in which a character is pregnant and I'd like to check that the author is being accurate ...

If anyone can help me, I'd be soo grateful!

The character has an ultrasound scan at 7 weeks, where the sonographer takes 10 mins to spot two 'flickers'. Sonographer says she can't say with accuracy when the twins are due/how many weeks along she is.

Sonographer uses a doppler - is this the right name for the hand-held scanner? I thought a doppler just checked heartbeat?

She also does a vaginal exam. What for?

Bump: when did you first have a bump with a twin pregnancy? And how big was your bump at 7, 12 and 20 weeks?

Symptoms: when were your first symptoms? When did morning sickness start? The character finds out she's pg at about 6 weeks, but she's had no symptoms up to now.

When can you tell the sex of a twin baby?

If you had idential twins sharing a placenta, did you have a scan every 2 weeks to check their growht?

Thank you all so much. I am researching this online too , but it really helps to read actual people's experiences!

[Cosmogirl86]

I am currently 14+2 with MCDA twins which means mine share a placenta

Twins were diagnosed at 8 weeks gestation using a vaginal scan to get better view of the uterus, and also abdominal. Two flickers, but sonographer knew exactly how to date them because that's literally their job.

I am a first time mum and I had no bump at seven weeks. I started showing a bump around 12 weeks, and am noticeably pregnant now!

Morning sickness started at 6 weeks until 12.

I have been told by my consultant to expect scans every 2-3 weeks

[neversleepagain]

Dcda non identical twins who had their own placentas.

Had my first scan at 13 weeks where we found out it was twins.

Had scan every 4 weeks from 20 weeks and every 2 weeks from 30 weeks.

I started showing at 12 weeks and was very noticeably pregnant at 16 weeks. By 27 weeks I measured term and by 34 weeks when I delivered I measured 50 weeks.

I found out the sex at 16 weeks.

[ellesbellesxxx]

We had a scan at 6w 5 days where they could measure the embryos at 4.9mm... so knew they were measuring perfectly... like a pp says, this is the sonographer’s job!

I started feeling sick at 5weeks and a day, started being as sick as a dog at exactly six weeks. I started showing at 9 weeks... first pregnancy! I just looked a bit bloated before, proper bump at 12 weeks then 20 weeks was measuring as if I was 30 weeks.

Transvaginal scan at 6w5 days, affectionately Known FYI as a dildo cam, they didn’t examine me otherwise though.

My twins were fraternal so scanned every 4 weeks after 20 weeks, found out at 20w the sex.. although I think if you pay privately you can have a scan at 16w to find this out?

[eurochick]

Vaginal examinations in pregnancy are unusual in the U.K. but seem common in other countries. I have no idea what they are furtling around for up there - the nhs doesn't think it's necessary.

A sonographer should be able to date an early pregnancy to within a few days. The heartbeat starts at around 6 weeks so would normally be evident in an ultrasound at 7 weeks.

[Excusemyfrench]

The sonographer only saw one baby for about 10 mins. After doing all the foetal measurements she checked my ovaries and thats when she saw the second baby. They were Identical twins sharing a placenta.
Could measure them both accurately. It was an internal scan as I was 7 weeks. The earlier you are the easier it is to see with an internal scan.
I looked 5 months pregnant at 12 weeks.
Felt so sick and out of breath from 6 weeks onwards.
Sex wise you can find out from 10 weeks with a harmony blood test or around 16 weeks with a scan.
Best of luck with your book!

[poorbuthappy]

Found out at standard 12 week scan (2nd pregnancy)
Doppler is heartbeat only I think...
Never had a vaginal scan
Bump was present prior to the 12 week scan (2nd pregnancy no stomach muscles!!)
I was bigger throughout the pregnancy but not that much more!
Morning sickness was about the same, as in present but walkers ready salted crisps sorted me right out. Until I was about 29 weeks pregnant and threw up a lot.
I only knew I was pregnant when I peed on a test if that makes sense
Sex was first looked at at 13/14 week private scan in order to check the nuchal fold because the blood test is not accurate in multiple pregnancies. Sonographer reckoned 2 girls and was correct!
I had shared placenta with 2 sacks and had scans every 2 weeks to check growth.

I am more than happy to talk about this!