What causes twins to be conceived?

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.

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Who carries the gene for twins?

The quick answer to this question is that, in a twin pregnancy, it is the mother's genes that determine twins. First up, giving birth to identical twins is not genetic, but conceiving fraternal twins is. The mother may have the genetic trait of releasing two eggs in one menstrual cycle.

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Can you have twins if it doesn't run in your family?

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.

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Who is more prone to having 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.

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What is the most common way twins occur?

Dizygotic twins are the most common type and are known as fraternal twins. Two-thirds of all sets of twins are dizygotic. When two eggs are fertilized during the same pregnancy, the result is a set of dizygotic twins. They are fertilized by two different sperm.

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How To Have Twins: Get the Truth from a Fertility Expert

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What should I eat to get pregnant with twins?

Hyperovulation-stimulating foods: There are a few foods that naturally increase the rate of ovulation and stimulate ovaries to release multiple eggs. Such hyperovulation stimulating foods include cassava (an African wild yam or sweet potato), tofu, soy isoflavones, whole grains, and whole wheat.

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How can I cause Hyperovulation naturally?

Hyperovulation-stimulating foods: There are a few foods that naturally increase the rate of ovulation and stimulates the ovaries to release multiple eggs. One example is Cassava, an African wild yam or sweet potato. Other examples include tofu, soy isoflavones, whole wheat and whole grains.

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What are the odds of having twins by age?

7.3 percent in women younger than 35. 6.9 percent in women age 35 to 37. 6.8 percent in women age 38 to 40. 5.1 percent in women age 41 to 42.

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What not to do when carrying twins?

Drink Alcohol, Use Drugs, or Smoke. It's never advisable to drink alcohol excessively, smoke, or take drugs, whether you are pregnant or not. When you are pregnant, doing so exposes your unborn babies to toxic substances, raising their risk of birth defects and chronic illnesses.

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What causes an egg to split into twins?

Several factors for causes of embryo splitting were suggested, including maternal age, prolonged embryo culture, ovarian stimulation, and zona pellucida (ZP) manipulation [6].

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Are twins genetic or chance?

The likelihood of conceiving twins is a complex trait, meaning that it is affected by multiple genetic and environmental factors, depending on the type of twins. The two types of twins are classified as monozygotic and dizygotic.

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What gender is most common in identical twins?

Identical twins are almost always the same sex, although there are some rare exceptions to this rule. Because identical twins occur when a single fertilized egg splits and forms two embryos, each embryo has the same chromosomes (usually, XX for girls or XY for boys).

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What determines if you have twins?

Multiple pregnancy usually happens when more than one egg is fertilized. It also can happen when one egg is fertilized and then splits into 2 or more embryos that grow into 2 or more babies. When one fertilized egg splits into 2, the babies are called identical twins.

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Are twins 100% related?

The DNA of monozygotic twins tends not to be 100% identical, and epigenetic and environmental differences further widen the gap between twin pairs. It's not nature or nurture; it's a complex interaction between our genes, our environment, and our epigenetic markers that shape who we are and what illnesses befall us.

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What are the symptoms of twins in first trimester?

What are twin pregnancy symptoms?
  • Breast tenderness.
  • Fatigue.
  • Frequent urination.
  • Increased appetite.
  • Morning sickness.

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What happens if two sperms enter one egg?

If two sperms fertilize an egg, things go wildly wrong, yielding a triploid offspring with 69 chromosomes with an extra set in addition to the normal maternal/paternal pair. An egg fertilized by three sperms receives two extra chromosome sets, resulting in a quadruploid individual with 92 chromosomes.

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Does the sperm split the egg to make 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.

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How many eggs drop for twins?

Fraternal twins, which are the more common type of twins, occur when more than one egg is released, fertilized and implanted in the uterus. In other words, fraternal twins are formed from two separate eggs and two separate sperm. Identical twins are the result of one egg and one sperm.

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Can you get pregnant while pregnant?

Superfetation is a phenomenon that occurs when a pregnant woman releases an egg, usually a few weeks into her pregnancy, and it's fertilized and implants in the uterus. The result is two separate pregnancies happening at the same time.

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When pregnant with twins when should you stop working?

Mums-to-be of twins usually start their maternity leave at 26 weeks. But it will also depend on your health, how well your pregnancy is going, and the type of work you do. Talk to your line manager or HR department if you need to leave earlier than 26 weeks, if, for example, you have complications with your pregnancy.

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Is it harder to be pregnant with twins?

Healthy twins develop like a single baby does until the last trimester, when their growth slows down. Twins are usually born before the usual 40-week due date. For the mother, carrying twins can be more difficult than carrying a single baby. And her risks are higher for pregnancy problems.

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Can you have twins vaginally?

About one third of all twins are born vaginally and the process is similar to that of giving birth to a single baby. If you're planning a vaginal delivery, it's usually recommended that you have an epidural for pain relief.

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