While
men can
carry the gene and pass it on to their daughters, a family history of twins doesn't make them any more likely to have twins themselves. 3 But, if a father passes on the “twin gene” to his daughter, then she may have a higher chance than normal of having fraternal twins.
Which parent determines identical twins?
This is why fraternal twins run in families. However, only women ovulate. So,
the mother's genes control
this and the fathers don't. This is why having a background of twins in the family matters only if it is on the mother's side.
Do identical twins come from Mom or Dad?
So,
having identical twins is not due to genetics
. On the other hand, fraternal twins can run in families. In fact, a woman that has a sibling that is a fraternal twin is 2.5 times more likely to have twins than average!
What causes identical twins?
Identical (monozygotic) twins happen
when a single egg (zygote) is fertilised
. The egg then divides in 2, creating identical twins who share the same genes. Identical twins are always the same sex, so if your twins are identical, you'll have 2 girls or 2 boys.
How do twins run in families?
Non-identical (fraternal) twins tend to run in families. But identical twins don't. Non-identical twins are the result of two separate eggs being fertilised by two separate sperm. There is a gene that makes a woman more likely to release two
or more eggs during ovulation
, and it's this gene that runs in families.
Can you have twins if it runs in the father's family?
Heredity on the father's side does not increase a couple's odds of having multiples
. This is true even if his family is full of multiples. Men, of course, don't ovulate, so even if they've inherited that hyperovulation gene from their parents, it doesn't increase their own odds of conceiving twins.
Can I have twins without family history?
Any woman can have identical twins and family history does not play a role with these
. The majority of twins who are born are non-identical and a result of two eggs being fertilised. Some fraternal twins look very similar; others share some resemblance whilst the remainder may not even look the slightest bit related.
What is the rarest type of twins?
This is the rarest type of twin, and it means a riskier pregnancy as the babies can get tangled in their own umbilical cords.
Who is more likely to have twins?
According to the Office on Women's Health,
women who are aged 30 years or older
are more likely to conceive twins. The reason for this is that women of this age are more likely than younger women to release more than one egg during their reproductive cycle.
Can identical twins be of different genders?
Sometimes identical twins
can be assigned the sex of male and female at birth
. These twins start off as identical males with XY sex chromosomes. But shortly after the egg divides, a genetic mutation called Turner syndrome occurs, leaving one twin with the chromosomes X0.
What are the odds of a twin having twins?
1 in 85
in general. 1 in 250 to have identical twins. 1 in 17 if the mother is a fraternal twin. 1 in 85 if the mother is an identical twin.
Can you have twins naturally?
It's estimated that
1 in 250 pregnancies results in twins naturally
, and there are two ways to conceive them.
Do twins have the same fingerprints?
Identical twins do not have identical fingerprints
, even though their identical genes give them very similar patterns. 1 The fetus begins developing fingerprint patterns in the early weeks of pregnancy. Small differences in the womb environment conspire to give each twin different, but similar, fingerprints.
Does twins skip a generation?
When both eggs are fertilized, the resulting siblings are fraternal twins. … Because there is no known gene that influences this process, it is considered a mere coincidence when one extended family has multiple sets of identical twins.
The notion that twins always skip a generation is also a myth
.
How early can twins be detected?
Are you wondering if you may be carrying more than just one baby? Many women say they could sense early on that they were carrying multiples. The only sure way to find out if you're pregnant with twins is at your first ultrasound appointment at
around 10 weeks
.
How do I know am carrying twins?
Ultrasound
. Although the factors above may be signs of a twin pregnancy, the only sure way to know you're pregnant with more than one baby is through an ultrasound. Some doctors schedule an early ultrasound, around 6 to 10 weeks, to confirm the pregnancy or check for issues.
