What are the clues that...
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What are the clues that a pregnant woman may be carrying twins rather than one baby? Many of the signs women look for are not foolproof. For example, a larger than expected abdomen size does not necessarily mean a multiple birth. Equally unreliable are weight gain, fetal activity, extreme fatigue, and excessive morning sickness. History might be a bit more reliable: twins tend to run in families, and never discount a mother's intuition; many mothers just "know" they are going to have twins rather than a single child.
There are more reliable tests a woman can take. Ultrasound is the surest method of confirming multiple pregnancy. A Doppler heartbeat count can be used late in the first trimester; an experienced physician or midwife can detect if there is more than one heartbeat. An expectant mother may have her HcG (human chorionic gonadotropin) levels checked as early as ten days after conception. Twins tend to produce an elevated reading, but the reading may still fall within the standard range for single births. In the second trimester, a mother can have her AFP (alphafeto protein) checked; a multiple pregnancy produces an unusually high result.
Rebekah knew she was in line for twins in two ways. First, there was unusual activity going on with her womb (but that alone would have been unreliable). Irrefutable evidence came when God told her directly that she was carrying twins.
There are more reliable tests a woman can take. Ultrasound is the surest method of confirming multiple pregnancy. A Doppler heartbeat count can be used late in the first trimester; an experienced physician or midwife can detect if there is more than one heartbeat. An expectant mother may have her HcG (human chorionic gonadotropin) levels checked as early as ten days after conception. Twins tend to produce an elevated reading, but the reading may still fall within the standard range for single births. In the second trimester, a mother can have her AFP (alphafeto protein) checked; a multiple pregnancy produces an unusually high result.
Rebekah knew she was in line for twins in two ways. First, there was unusual activity going on with her womb (but that alone would have been unreliable). Irrefutable evidence came when God told her directly that she was carrying twins.
