The factors that increase the odds include:
Advancing age of the mother
– women in their 30s and 40s have higher levels of the sex hormone oestrogen than younger women, which means that their ovaries are stimulated to produce more than one egg at a time.
What are the chances of having identical twins?
Nobody knows what causes identical (monozygotic) twins. Everyone has the same chance of having identical twins:
about 1 in 250
. Identical twins do not run in families.
How can I increase my chances of having identical twins?
Factors that increase the chance of twins include:
consuming high amounts of dairy foods and conceiving over the age
of 30, and while breastfeeding. Many fertility drugs including Clomid, Gonal-F, and Follistim increase the odds of a twin pregnancy.
How can I make sure I have identical twins?
- Being older rather than younger helps. …
- Have fertility assistance such as in vitro fertilisation or take fertility drugs. …
- Pick your own genetics carefully! …
- Be of African/American heritage. …
- Having been pregnant before. …
- Have a big family.
Which parent carries the gene for twins?
The gene versions that increase the chance of hyperovulation can be passed down from parent to child. This is why fraternal twins run in families. However, only women ovulate. So,
the mother's genes
control this and the fathers don't.
Can folic acid cause twins?
Folic Acid Not Tied to Multiple Births
. Jan. 31, 2003 — Women who take folic acid supplements before or during pregnancy are not any more likely to have a multiple birth, such as twins or triplets, according to new research.
Do twins come from Mom or Dad?
For a given pregnancy, the odds of conceiving fraternal twins are only determined by the mother's genetics,
not the father's
. Fraternal twins happen when two eggs are simultaneously fertilised instead of just one.
How do I know if I'm pregnant with twins?
But the only way to confirm a twin pregnancy is with
an ultrasound done at your doctor's office
, typically during the first trimester. Your doctor may also be able to confirm if you're having fraternal or identical twins, but a DNA test can tell you for sure.
Can identical twins be different genders?
Female and male identical twins
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 rarest type of twins?
Monoamniotic-monochorionic 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.
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
.
What are the 3 types of twins?
- Identical twins (monozygotic)
- Fraternal twins (dizygotic)
- Conjoined twins.
- Other twin types.
- Other multiples.
- How can you tell whether your twins are identical or fraternal?
Is it possible to have twins without it running in the family?
Remember,
monozygotic (identical) twins don't run in families
—they are random. You may not know if your great-granduncles were identical or not and often there is no way to know for sure without DNA testing. That being said, twins that share a close physical resemblance are more likely to be identical than fraternal.
What causes an egg to split into twins?
To form identical or monozygotic twins, one fertilised egg (ovum) splits and develops into two babies with exactly the same genetic information. To form fraternal or dizygotic twins, two eggs (ova) are fertilised by two
sperm
and produce two genetically unique children.
How much folic acid should I take for twins?
So experts say that all women who are able to get pregnant should take a daily supplement that has 400 to 800 mcg of folic acid. Some women need even higher doses. Women who are pregnant with twins or more should take
1000 mcg a day
.
How long should I take folic acid before trying to conceive twins?
If you're planning to have a baby, it's important that you take folic acid tablets for
two to three months before
you conceive. This allows it to build up in your body to a level that gives the most protection to your future baby against neural tube defects, such as spina bifida.
