Are There Early Signs of Twin Pregnancy in the First 2 Weeks?

Got twins in the family?

Or did you have a dream you were carrying twins?

Or maybe you’ve got a feeling there’s more than one bun in your oven?

Maybe twins are what you’ve always hoped for.

But are there early signs of twin pregnancy, in the first 2 weeks, even?

Let’s find out.

In this article: 📝

Can you tell if you’re having twins at 2 weeks?

If we take “two weeks” as the two weeks after ovulation, and therefore the soonest fertilization could have taken place, the short answer is, probably not.

It’s worth noting that, technically, that these two weeks would actually be four weeks pregnant as we count pregnancy weeks from the first day of your last period.

It’s weird to think of yourself as being pregnant before you’ve even ovulated, but them’s the rules.

It’s to take in the possibility that you didn’t ovulate strictly on day fourteen even if you have regular cycles.

That’s why expected due dates can vary so much (except in the case of IVF where everything is scheduled precisely—and even then babies come when they’re ready!).

You never really know how long your baby needs to bake.

But in the absence of scientific methods to actually test this, we’d never discount mothers’ intuition.

If you have a strong feeling you’re having multiples, especially if you have a family history of fraternal twins, it’s always a possibility.

What are fraternal and identical twins?

Hold up, hold up.

What’s the difference between fraternal and identical twins?

Let’s break it down:

Identical twins

Identical twins are when one sperm fertilizes one egg.

That one egg splits into two during early pregnancy, and, hey presto!

You have two babies that will be born identical.

They’ll look incredibly similar and have the same sex.

➡️ You might also like: Do Identical Twins Have the Same DNA?

Fraternal twins

Fraternal twins are when you have two eggs that are fertilized by two different sperm.

This results in two babies who may or may not be the same sex and may not look alike at all.

They could just share a passing familial resemblance.

➡️ You might also like: Can Twins Have Different Fathers?

And then there are the other five twin types to get your brain buzzing.

So that’s enough of the biology lesson, what do we know?

How can you tell if you’re pregnant with twins early?

While we wish we could give you the “five signs of implantation with twins” spiel, sadly the only way to tell for sure is through an ultrasound.

High levels of hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin, aka the “pregnancy hormone”) may be detected in your early pregnancy blood tests.

But because hCG levels differ wildly from person to person, it’s hard to say for sure.

Higher hCG doesn’t automatically confirm a twin situation.

Your first ultrasound may be the first time you have any inkling you’re going to be a twin mama.

You may see twins as early as six weeks on an ultrasound, but it’s important to be aware of vanishing twin syndrome (VTS).

This is when two fetuses are seen in an early scan (around six or seven weeks), only to find one has “vanished” by the next scan, and only one baby is visible.

The estimates are that this occurs in at about 15-35% of twin pregnancies.

So while fairly common, it is a form of early pregnancy loss that can be very hard to bear.

The cause is unknown but is thought to be from genetic differences rather than anything the pregnant person “did”.

If this loss occurs in the first trimester (as most do), there are unlikely to be clinical signs or symptoms and the fetal tissue is usually reabsorbed by the other twin, placenta, or the mother.

Fortunately, when a mama experiences VTS, the chances are she’ll go on to experience a healthy pregnancy.

We know that this doesn’t make it any easier, but if this is your experience, be gentle with yourself and take the time you need to mourn that loss.

🔎 Dig deeper: Twins in the Womb: Week by Week

Twin pregnancy symptoms

While for the most part twin pregnancies tend to proceed along the same lines as those of a singleton pregnancy, it’s also likely that, because there are more babies, there’s also more… EVERYTHING.

Here are some of the things that might clue you into, or even confirm, the fact that you’ve got more than one baby on board.

That pregnancy nausea is off the charts

While some twin mamas don’t report any pregnancy nausea at all, because of the two-for-one special you get on hormones with a multiple pregnancy, misnamed “morning sickness” is more common with twins.

(You’ll notice we prefer the term pregnancy nausea. That’s because we’ve started a Renaming Revolution, to rework those phrases that were developed by men without the experiences of real women in mind.)

There could be more hCG in your system, which is thought to trigger pregnancy nausea.

And if there is more hCG with twins you might experience it earlier than the typical week six.

Incidence of hyperemesis gravidarum, which refers to severe nausea and vomiting, tends to be higher in those pregnant with multiples, too.

More fatigue

That first-trimester exhaustion tends to be worse with twins.

And any fatigue you experience as your pregnancy progresses is likely to be heightened with the added work you have to do to grow not just one but many babies.

More baby belly

You could also end up showing earlier with twins.

Just because you’re packing more!

This might be one of the most common early pregnancy symptoms with twins.

More weight gain

You may feel hungrier as you grow two human beings, and as a natural result of that, you may gain a little extra weight with twins than you would with a singleton.

This will likely be around 37 to 54 pounds, though every mama is different.

As long as you stick to whole healthy foods, don’t fuss too much about the numbers on the scale.

More jiggle jiggle

You may feel movement in different areas of your belly.

More toilet trips

That hCG comes into play again here.

That same hormone that causes extra urination in mamas with one bun in the oven can send twin mama bladders into overdrive too.

More belly issues

As your babies grow, you’ll have more of those hormones and less space available, than you would with one, so the effects on your digestion are more pronounced.

This includes those roller coaster rides caused by heartburn, indigestion, and constipation.

More heart

When you’re pregnant, your basal metabolic rate, and so your resting heart rate, increases to grow that baby.

Studies have shown that changes in heart rate are more pronounced in twin pregnancies (although generally 100% normal).

Achy breasts

Breast tenderness is a common symptom of pregnancy in general, but twin moms often report an extreme version of this sensitivity.

Earlier arrival

Most twins are born around 37 weeks.

While it’s highly unusual to be surprised by twins at birth these days due to the quality of maternal care usually available, crazier things have happened.

While twin pregnancies have seen a slight decline in the last few years, you never know.

And while we wish there was a sure-fire list of early twin pregnancy symptoms, what we can tell you is who is most likely to have a twin pregnancy.

If you’re over 35, having fertility treatments, have a higher BMI, are African American, and have a family history of twins, you’re more likely to have multiples!

So get those twin baby names ready!

Whether it’s one, two, or even more, every pregnancy comes with its ups and downs.

Peanut is with you every step of the way.

Come find your community.