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The Average Birth Weight of Premature Twins

Twins born before 37 weeks of gestation are considered premature. About 60 percent of twins born in the United States fall into that category. According to March of Dimes, the mean gestational age for twins is 35 weeks -- the average weight is 5 pounds. Any weight under 5 1/2 pounds is considered low birth weight; however, preemies born 34 to 37 weeks are generally healthy. Low birth weight babies born before 32 weeks of pregnancy, and/or weighing less than 3 1/3 pounds, are at increased risk of lifelong health problems.

  1. Extra Prenatal Care

    • Women pregnant with twins are advised to see their healthcare provider more often than women expecting one child. Obstetricians may require two monthly visits during the second trimester and weekly check-ups during the third. Extra examinations are scheduled to prevent, detect and treat any possible complications such as preeclampsia. Since twins generally weigh less than single babies, an ultrasound is used more frequently to check growth and the level of amniotic fluid of each baby. In the case of discordant twins, one baby is considerably lighter and smaller than the other.

    Consume Extra Calories

    • A healthy weight gain is especially important for women carrying twins. Eating a healthful diet ensures that the babies receive as much nutrition in the uterus as possible. According to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, a pregnant woman, of average weight, needs to consume about 2,700 calories a day and gain 35 to 45 pounds. Obstetricians may also advise women carrying twins to take extra prenatal vitamins containing folic acid and iron. Babies gain the most weight after the 28th week of gestation; however, the weight a woman gains in the second trimester has the greatest impact on the twins' birth weight.

    Delaying Preterm Labor

    • Women pregnant with twins may be advised to cut back on activities after the 20th week of pregnancy to avoid preterm labor. According to the March of Dimes, women who experience preterm labor before 34 weeks of gestation may be admitted to the hospital for around-the-clock bed-rest, and treated with corticosteroid drugs that speed up fetal lung development. If preterm labor is detected early, delivery may be postponed for several days, allowing the corticosteroid drugs to help the babies' lungs develop as much as possible.

    Caring for Premature Twins

    • Most twins are born healthy -- however, premature twins may require specialized medical attention to breath and eat. Preterm twins with special needs are treated in a neonatal intensive care unit of a hospital until they are strong enough to go home. Newborn preterm twins may not have the strength to breastfeed. In such cases, they receive an IV for nourishment and growth until their bodies are ready to ingest their mother's milk.

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