Lister Hospital (East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust) 

There is a dedicated Multiple Birth Team at this hospital comprising a fetal medicine and multiple birth specialist midwife, a multiple pregnancy midwife, two twin consultants and a team of sonographers who have an interest in multiples. 

They are supported by physiotherapists and the Fetal Medicine Team, which comprises of highly skilled specialist doctors and specialist midwives that offer diagnosis and treatment of complications which may arise in pregnancy and birth. 

The Multiple Birth Team see around 110 multiple pregnancies each year. Mums expecting dichorionic diamniotic twins (babies which have their own amniotic sac and placenta) are seen every four weeks in the multiple birth clinic and the monochorionic twins (identicals who share a placenta) are seen every two weeks in the Fetal Medicine Clinic.

Mums expecting twins, triplets or more are able to spend up to one hour at each appointment having their scans, growth measured and blood pressure checked. There is also time to talk through an individualised care pattern at a designated multiples clinic.

Multiple mums are always booked in with one of the two clinicians depending on where they live. They are allowed choice with regards to birth and care and all birthing options are discussed. 

Every year an audit is carried out ensuring compliance for CNST (Clinical Negligence Scheme for Trusts) and NICE QS46 and improvements are made from this. 

Monthly audit and review meetings are held and Fetal Medicine multidisciplinary team meetings are held every Thursday. 

An audit was carried out between April 2016 and March 2017 to assess compliance with NICE QS46 and the unit was 100% compliant in all 8 statements.