It is estimated that 1 in 250 natural pregnancies will naturally result in twins. While twin pregnancies can happen by chance, there are some factors that may increase your odds of having two babies at the same time.
It has been widely assumed that there has been an increase in twins over the years, largely attributed to fertility treatments. But the increase in the multiple birth rate means not just more twins, but also higher order multiples, such as triplets, quadruplets and the like.
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.
In 2021, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (latest report as of October 2021) there were 4,248 multiple births representing 1.5% of all births (309,996) in Australia. This comprised 4,185 pairs of twins and 63 sets of triplets and higher order multiples.
Factors that increase the chance of twins include: consuming high amounts of dairy foods, being over the age of 30, and conceiving while breastfeeding. Many fertility drugs including Clomid, Gonal-F, and Follistim also increase the odds of a twin pregnancy.
However, for a given pregnancy, only the mother's genetics matter. Fraternal twins happen when two eggs are simultaneously fertilized instead of just one. A father's genes can't make a woman release two eggs.
Everyone has the same chance of having identical twins: about 1 in 250. Identical twins do not run in families. But there are some factors that make having non-identical twins more likely: non-identical twins are more common in some ethnic groups, with the highest rate among Nigerians and the lowest among Japanese.
The Science of Fraternal Twins. Mixed-gender twins are the most common type of fraternals, some 50 percent are boy-girl.
A little more than half of twin pregnancies end in preterm delivery (before 37 weeks). While 40 weeks is the full gestation period of the average pregnancy, most twin pregnancies are delivered at approximately 36 weeks (range 32-38 weeks depending on the type of twin pregnancy).
In fact, one British study tested ESP potential among identical twins and found that they were correct about 25% of the time, the same as any other siblings. There is one particular power though which twins possess, longevity. Fraternal twins live longer than singletons and identical twins longer still.
A big reason for all those twins is an increase in medically assisted reproduction, including in vitro fertilization, ovarian stimulation and artificial insemination. Another reason is that women in many countries are having babies at older ages.
It's equally unsurprising that a Danish study found that twins are less likely to get married than non-twins. As twins have a partner from birth, the study suggests that they may not have the same desire for marriage as singletons.
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.
Monoamniotic-monochorionic Twins
These types of twins share a chorion, placenta, and an amniotic sac. This is the rarest type of twin, and it means a riskier pregnancy as the babies can get tangled in their own umbilical cords.
The authors of the study believe the reason twins live longer may be because of the social support they provide each other, and the psychological and health benefits that come with that social connection. "There is benefit to having someone who is socially close to you who is looking out for you," Sharrow said.
Being pregnant with multiples doesn't necessarily mean that your pregnancy will be problematic. However, women carrying multiples do have a higher chance of developing complications such as high blood pressure and preterm labor. For this reason, all multiple pregnancies are considered high-risk.
You can take maternity leave any time from 11 weeks before the start of the week when your babies are due. Your obstetrician will give you an idea of when your babies are due, as twins or more tend to arrive earlier than singleton babies. Mums-to-be of twins usually start their maternity leave at 26 weeks.
Women with twin pregnancies are more likely to have pregnancy health problems and complications like gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia, premature labour and bleeding. Twins who share a placenta might have extra complications.
It is estimated that 1 in 250 natural pregnancies will naturally result in twins. While twin pregnancies can happen by chance, there are some factors that may increase your odds of having two babies at the same time.
For girl multiples, you can support them by reassuring your girls that periods starting at different times is perfectly normal. Some multiples have started their period three years before their twin/triplet.
Many people believe twins skip a generation, but that's just a myth. The idea that twins skip generations likely comes from the fact that the genetic factors contributing to twins only come from the gestational parent's side.
Twins and other multiple-birth individuals can suffer from much deeper and troubling loneliness than single-born individuals. Separation anxiety, which often begins at birth, is the underlying cause of loneliness for twins.
Several factors for causes of embryo splitting were suggested, including maternal age, prolonged embryo culture, ovarian stimulation, and zona pellucida (ZP) manipulation [6].
Is there a third type? Traditionally, the science around twins has taught that identical and fraternal are the only two types. But a third type might exist, called polar body or half-identical twins.