Twins Clinic

The Royal Hospital for Women has recognised how special it is to be having twins by creating a dedicated Multiple Pregnancy Clinic (MPC).  All public patients expecting twins can be offered antenatal care through this clinic

We are located in the Department of Maternal Fetal Medicine, just next to the Department of Medical Imaging on Level 0. Antenatal visits and ultrasound scans take place in these two departments.

The clinic aims to:

  • Cater for the special needs of the woman and her family when preparing for the birth of twins
  • Provide consistency and continuity of care throughout the pregnancy
  • Practice obstetric care according to the best available evidence and international guidelines
  • Allow women to make informed decisions regarding their care and birth
  • Improve clinical care and reduce the number of hospital visits and waiting times for women with twins by combining ultrasound scans with antenatal visits
  • Provide links to community supports
  • Provide follow-up and assistance with psychosocial support in the postnatal period where needed

The team is a multidisciplinary one, consisting of a full range of medical, midwifery and allied health staff. Those who are present at every weekly clinic are:

  • Medical officers:  An obstetrician with expertise in ultrasound, an advanced trainee in obstetrics (Clinical Fellow) and an obstetrics registrar
  • Registered midwives:  Antenatal clinic midwife +/- Midwifery Group Practice midwives
  • Sonographers

You may also have access to consultations with a Social Worker, Dietitian, Obstetric Physician, Mental Health Worker, Physiotherapist, Lactation Consultant, Paediatrician or Anaesthetist as required.

The first visit at the MPC usually occurs before 16 weeks of pregnancy.
At this visit you will meet the doctors, midwives and sonographers who are the regular part of the team

At 18-20 weeks, a fetal morphology ultrasound is done at an external provider

Regular ultrasound scans to monitor the babies’ growth and well-being are performed at 24, 28, 32 and 36 weeks gestation. These scans are performed during the clinic session times and are combined with your antenatal visit so the results can be discussed with you

More frequent scans may be required if any medical concerns arise during your pregnancy

Antenatal visits at 16, 20, 24 and 28 weeks, and then at fortnightly visits to 34 weeks, then weekly thereafter

Formulating a birth plan will occur around the 30-34 week visits.

Australian multiple birth Association/ Twins Association website