Funding outcome

Women carrying twins face a much higher risk of health complications during their pregnancy. Compared to women with single baby pregnancies, women carrying twins are more likely to develop high blood pressure or depression, to give birth early, and to deliver small babies. Such issues cause health problems for both mom and babies during pregnancy, but also, later in life. The sympathetic nervous system (our body's fight or flight response), controls blood pressure during pregnancy. It is established that women carrying a single baby who subsequently develop high blood pressure have exaggerated responses of the sympathetic nervous system to non-invasive, simple tools known as functional tests. However, these tests can't be used in twin pregnancies because the normal changes to the sympathetic nervous system in twin pregnancy has never been investigated. Our study will be the first assessment of the sympathetic nervous system in twin pregnancy. Sixty participants (30 carrying twins) will be recruited for this study. Participants will visit the Program for Pregnancy and Postpartum Health, University of Alberta, for 2.5 hours in their second and third trimester of pregnancy. We will measure blood pressure, heart rate and sympathetic nervous system activity at rest and during 3 stress tests including 1) repeatedly making a fist (handgrip exercise), placing a hand in ice-cold water, and cycling exercise. Pregnancy, labour, and delivery outcomes will be recorded after birth. These data will be the first critical step to developing prediction tools and interventions to reduce the development of pregnancy complications in twin pregnancies.