The More-er, the Merrier-er?
Despite being shocking enough, this was not even the end of the Perkins’ revelations. Upon further inspection, the doctor realized that he could find a sixth pregnancy, and that Lauren was actually carrying sextuplets. Such a pregnancy is exceptionally unusual, occurring in less than 1% of IUI pregnancies. At this time, after that ultrasound, Lauren and David were given a decision to make; Lauren could try to carry all the babies to term, or end some of the pregnancies early in order to reduce the risk of complications in the others.
The Ultrasound Of The Perkins Sextuplets
Multiple Pregnancies Can Be Risky
Carrying multiple pregnancies can result in a variety of complications for both the mother and the baby. Premature birth is perhaps the most common complication, which means lower birth weights for the newborns and a higher risk of birth defects. Other complications can include gestational high blood pressure in the mother, gestational diabetes, anemia, miscarriage, and even possibly twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome, which can occur in identical twins sharing a placenta and wherein one twin receives far more blood than the other.
Twin To Twin Transfusion