Average Week During Pregnancy That Twins are Born

Moms of twins already know that they are going to be in for some unexpected twists and turns, but boy, do those twists and turns start out early! Pregnancy, labor, and delivery with twins is sometimes much different than giving birth to a single baby, so moms of twins (and multiples!) need to be prepared early and know what to expect! Claim Your 20 Free Pregnancy Tests – Click Here

While the average length of a single baby pregnancy is 40 weeks, that is not the case for a twin pregnancy. The average time that twins are born can vary anywhere between 34-39 weeks. It is rare for twins to stay in the womb until 40 weeks gestation. More than half of all twins will be born prior to 37 weeks gestation.

This is typical, and nothing to be alarmed about. For this reason, twins are usually smaller than single babies, but they usually do just fine for the most part, even though their small stature sometimes leads them to need more hospital time. Full term pregnancy for twins is considered around 35-37 weeks. Each doctor has a different set of guidelines for twin pregnancies, so ask your doctor if you are concerned.

More than half of all twins are born vaginally. There are a high number of cesarean section births associated with having twins, but that is just the facts, it is nothing to be concerned about. If your twins are born vaginally, each baby will have it’s own pushing time. The second twin is usually born much more quickly than the first, since the first has done all the hard work!

The average length of time between twins being born vaginally is 17 minutes. The position of the babies prior to delivery will usually determine whether or not you have a cesarean section. Some hospitals require moms giving birth to twins to give birth in an operating room even if they are planning on having a vaginal delivery, so keep that in mind.

Another important factor in labor and delivery of twins is the position of the babies. In about 40 percent of cases, both babies are in the vertex (head down) position as labor approaches. Another 30 percent or so have one twin being vertex and the other twin being breech (head up).

Either one of these positions is usually fine for having a vaginal birth. However, keep in mind that if both babies are in the breech position, it is usually advisable for the mother to have a cesarean section.

Maureen Stephens, BS, RN | ConceiveEasy

Ms. Stephens has spent over twenty years in the healthcare world, specializing in obstretical and medical/surgical nursing. She joined ConceiveEasy as she has a strong interest in educating and empowering women and promoting fertility awareness.