Year after year, evidence mounts that people having twins, triplets or more have worse pregnancy outcomes than those having one baby. This must change.

Stillbirths continue to rise year-on-year for people pregnant with twins, triplets or more. The stillbirth rate for multiples is more than double that for a singleton pregnancy. Parents having a multiple birth are four times more likely to have a neonatal death. This figure rises to more than 10 times more likely when expecting triplets, compared to a singleton pregnancy.

What do we want to see?

• We need a clear commitment from government that they will improve maternity and neonatal care through increased funding to meet agreed targets for reducing stillbirths, neonatal deaths, maternal deaths and birth injuries. The only way to meet these targets is through increased funding and a comprehensive strategy which will address all key elements of safe maternity care, such as sufficient staffing levels to ensure safe care for mothers and babies.
• Midwives, sonographers and health visitors must have compulsory, comprehensive training on multiple births. This training should cover the specific medical, psychological and logistical challenges involved in multiple births.
• We need adequate research funding, specifically on multiple births, to better track outcomes related to high-risk pregnancies.

Specialist training for multiple birth midwives

Multiple births require specialised knowledge and skills due to the higher risks and complexities involved. Yet most midwives, sonographers and health visitors don't have sufficient training to manage these risks effectively. This is compounded by the significant staff turnover in healthcare settings, meaning that key professionals don't have the on-the-job experience that once went some way to mitigating this. Mothers and babies are at risk as a result.

Our campaign advocates for the integration of mandatory multiple birth training into the curriculum for all midwives and health visitors. We want midwives and health visitors to be empowered with the tools necessary to deliver enhanced care to families expecting multiples. By ensuring that professionals are well prepared to address the unique needs of multiple births, we aim to enhance safety, improve care outcomes and provide stronger support for families.

Through collaborative efforts with healthcare organisations, policymakers and community stakeholders, we're committed to promoting changes that prioritise the wellbeing of mothers and babies. By championing mandatory multiple birth training, we can significantly improve the quality of care and outcomes for families having multiple pregnancies and births.

Your experience matters

We invite community feedback and support in pushing for these changes. If you would like to share your story or talk to us about our campaigns please email [email protected].

In the meantime, we're working behind-the-scenes to make change on this and we will keep you up-to-date with progress and let you know if we need you to take action. If you're not already subscribed to our updates, register your free Twins Trust account and opt-in to receive campaigns emails.

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