The next evening meeting for parents expecting twins, triplets or more is to be held on Thursday 2 May 2013. For further details please see the 'Prenatal Meetings for Parents' page on our site or call 020 3313 3519 / 020 8313 3519.

MBF Welcomes New Nice Guideline

The Multiple Births Foundation (MBF) welcomes the publication of Multiple pregnancy: the management of twin and triplet pregnancies in the antenatal period, a new Guideline produced by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) for healthcare professionals working with families expecting twins or triplets. Training professionals, such as midwives, in the special needs of these families is a core activity of the MBF.

The guideline, the first published by NICE on multiple pregnancies, has evidence based recommendations which set out the standards for high quality care for women expecting twins or triplets.

These include:

• Specialist care from an experienced, specialist multidisciplinary team
• More monitoring of expectant mothers and more frequent antenatal visits
• Information and emotional support on topics such as the risks, symptoms and signs of preterm labour, and breastfeeding
• The importance of establishing whether the babies share a placenta and of assessing the risks and monitoring the pregnancy closely if they do. About two thirds of identical twins share a placenta When the placenta is shared there is a risk of the condition feto fetal transfusion syndrome arising which is when the babies share unequal amounts of blood. However about one third of identical twins will each have their own placentas.

For the first time, NICE outlines what antenatal appointments women with a multiple pregnancy should receive, including the frequency and timing of antenatal care visits for women with multiple pregnancies, what should be done at each visit and clear recommendations on the birth.

As well as the full NICE Guideline, a booklet with information for women expecting twins and triplets explaining the guidance has also been published.

Jane Denton, Director of the Multiple Births Foundation said: “The NICE Guideline on multiple pregnancy will transform the care for women expecting twins and triplets and is a significant milestone in the management of multiple pregnancies.

“Although much of the care at present is very good, there are many inconsistencies and often poor coordination between healthcare professionals if mothers are referred to other hospitals.

“These recommendations address all of these concerns and will give mothers confidence that they are receiving the highest standard of care, appropriate to their individual needs.”

The full implementation of the Guideline is the next vital step which the MBF will be supporting through its publications and training and education programme.

The MBF also welcomes the Guideline's call for more research which includes the prediction and prevention of spontaneous pre-term birth, measurement of the growth of babies during pregnancy, diet and nutritional supplements and the need for information and emotional support for women, and looks forward to addressing this in collaboration with other organisations.

For further enquiries please contact the MBF on 020 8383 3519

For full guideline can be found on the NICE website www.nice.org.uk

MBF launches new Feeding guidelines

For the first time, practical evidence-based advice and information on feeding twins, triplets and higher multiples is now freely available to parents. ‘Feeding twins, triplets and more’, a comprehensive guide, has been published by the Multiple Births Foundation (MBF) with funding from the Big Lottery Find and based on research undertaken by the National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit.

In addition the first evidence-based guidance for health professionals and peer support workers, which specifically addresses infant feeding in multiples has been published by the Multiple Births Foundation (MBF). ‘Guidance for Health Professionals on Feeding Twins, Triplets and Higher Order Multiples’ is based on research conducted by the National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit, University of Oxford, with funding from the Big Lottery Fund.

Both guides can be downloaded through the links below. Hard copies can be ordered on the ‘MBF publications’ page of this site or by calling the MBF’s main office on 020 3313 3519 / 020 8313 3519.

Free PDF guide downloads:

Don't forget to check our Events & News page for all the latest information from the MBF!

The Multiple Births Foundation is an independent charity and relies solely for its income on grants, donations and fundraising activities.

It was founded in 1988 and has become a national and international authority on multiple births. We are the only charity internationally which employs healthcare professionals dedicated to supporting multiple birth families and educating and advising professionals about their special needs.

In 2009 almost 12,500 sets of twins were born in the UK compared with 7,573 in 1985.

However most people have little idea just how demanding multiple birth babies can be. The reality is that often parents' ability to cope is dramatically reduced by the problems that accompany having twins, triplets or more. As a result, the need for the correct care and support has never been greater and it is our aim to provide advice, information and support to multiple birth families and professionals working in the field.

• Mothers may need extra pre-natal care and monitoring.
• Babies are often born earlier, or smaller than singleton babies, and are therefore more vulnerable.
• Coping with two or more newborn babies can seem an overwhelming task, and parents may need support with caring for the babies.
• Multiples may experience language delay, behavioural disorders, excessive rivalry or dependency.

The Multiple Births Foundation is a charity and relies for its income on grants, donations and fundraising activities.