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What Information Should the Multiple Birth Family Receive Before, During and After the Birth?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 August 2014

D.A. Hay ,
C. Gleeson ,
C. Davies ,
B. Lorden ,
D. Mitchell  and
L. Paton
D.A. Hay*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, LaTrobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
C. Gleeson
Affiliation:
Australian Multiple Birth Association, Coogee, NSW, Australia
C. Davies
Affiliation:
Australian Multiple Birth Association, Coogee, NSW, Australia
B. Lorden
Affiliation:
Australian Multiple Birth Association, Coogee, NSW, Australia
D. Mitchell
Affiliation:
Australian Multiple Birth Association, Coogee, NSW, Australia
L. Paton
Affiliation:
Australian Multiple Birth Association, Coogee, NSW, Australia
*
Department of Psychology, LaTrobe University, Bundoora, Vic 3083, Australia

Abstract

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Advances in the management of the multiple pregnancy and delivery must be accompanied by corresponding improvements in service access outside key centres and especially in the information families receive about what may happen during or after the pregnancy. A major review of birthing services in Victoria has focussed attention on four areas where the quality of information is often inadequate. 1) Prepregnancy and the standard of counselling about the incidence of multiples as a result of fertility drugs and in vitro fertilization procedures and about problems which may accompany a multiple birth. 2) Antenatal: At what stage of the pregnancy should parents be told of the multiple pregnancy and how should monitoring of the mother and procedures such as bedrest take into account what are often conflicting demands within the family? 3) Perinatal: Families are frequently illprepared for a cesarean delivery and for the procedures for premature multiples. The problem is often compounded by separation of the mother from one or both twins. While bereavement services are improving, much still needs to be learned about handling congenital abnormalities in one or more multiples. 4) Postnatal: Irrespective of the level of prenatal advice, families greatly underestimate the workload with multiples. The resulting stress contributes to the incidence of postnatal depression, child abuse and divorce now being reported from multiple birth families. Some suggestions are made from social psychology and genetic counselling about how families can best handle risk information to achieve the goal of neither under- nor overestimating the risks at these different stages of the multiple pregnancy.

Keywords

InformationMultiple birth familyFamily counselling
Type
Research Article
Information
Acta geneticae medicae et gemellologiae: twin research , Volume 39 , Issue 2 , April 1990 , pp. 259 - 269
Copyright
Copyright © The International Society for Twin Studies 1990

References

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