How did you get twins?

[Alatariel]

Hiya,
I'm just curious as to how many people who had twins had them randomly compared to how many people have them running in the family?

I want twins haha. Glutton for punishment! But noone in my family has had them..

[JATS]

There's no real way to guarantee twins, these things are said to help...

having them in the family
breastfeeding
being 30+
Fertility drugs
the more bubs you have the more likely you are to get twins

There may be others.

[*My Lil Blondie*]

i also really want twins :thumbsup:
i know my nana had one set but one was a still born. but thats it on both sides!

ill be definately watching this thread :yes:

[mich71]

well you can get them if your on fertilty drugs but it didnt happen for me only had ds3 and its only 10% chance of twins or more but im 3rd generation so it finally happened but when i booked into hospital midwife told me i was the only one in dec that conceved twins naturaly so far also research has shown that if your over 35 your chances are increased as you can start to ovulate 2 eggs

[CJJHRA]

I was 27 when I got preg with my twins, and previously had 3 boys, I think my great-great grandma had twins and thats as far as twin history goes along the femal line of my family. The males side doestn count. But ID twins supposedly dont run in familys, and are alot more rare than fraternal.

My twins are fraternal, both boys, both have different blood groups, but they do look rather similar (so do all my boys anyway)

[andrewsmum]

I was 27 when I got preg with my twins, and previously had 3 boys, I think my great-great grandma had twins and thats as far as twin history goes along the femal line of my family. The males side doestn count. But ID twins supposedly dont run in familys, and are alot more rare than fraternal.

My twins are fraternal, both boys, both have different blood groups, but they do look rather similar (so do all my boys anyway)

I'm currently pregnant with twins - the last set of twins born in the family was six generations ago!!

Mine are ID twins though, so generally that's thought to be a freak of nature to be preg with ID twins.

You can always leave it to chance??

[JnA]

You can always leave it to chance??


I'm thinking that's you stats right there.

I have twins on both sides of the family, had Jade through IVF, implated two embys, am close to the 35 age bracket and still ended up with a singleton.


Good Luck!

[bigglet]

Mine are ID twins though, so generally that's thought to be a freak of nature to be preg with ID twins.


My DH is an ID twin and I sometimes think he is a freak of nature! :laughing: LOL

[DQ]

My nanna was a twin and my pop was a twin. Are my chances increased at all you reckon???? I would love it, how cool!

[Mikeswifey]

My great nan had twins - died at birth.

My cousin (1st cousin) had twins.

My other cousin (shes our 2nd cousin) m/c twins.

Both cousins have the same great gran.

So I am unsure how the generations work if both my cousins, one being a 1st cousin, one being a 2nd cousin got preg with twins.

[BlessedWithBlue]

My nanna is an identical twin but her twin died shortly after birth, I am having twins and must say i was a little shocked to find that there were two little bubbies in there at my 12 week ultrasound. Mine are fraternal though. (Df's mum had a set of fraternal twins too lol and it was her third pregnancy just like us)

[choplits mum]

Fraternal twins are supposed to be the 'carrying' side of the family as are females! My Nan is an identical twin and my grandad is a non identical..they had 3 kids (my dad) and none of us kids yet have had twins. I have about 3 sets of cousin twins too.
I am early in my pregnancy, and a clairvoyant last month told my brother he would have twins, yesterday my mum saw a c,voyant who also said one of us will have twins! OMG!!!!!!

[Rainbowbrite]

My mums a twin(BG), my cousins are twins(BB), my 1st cousin had twins (BG).

DH's cousins are twins (BG), his brother has twins (BB).

Twins are a big risk with our family, but one that we are willing to take :D

[CJJHRA]

Research shows that twins run in the female line, as its the woman who releases the two eggs for fraternals. Yet there are females who have had twins when they havent run in their side, but has twins in their DH's.

Of course you can still get fraternal twins from the egg splitting and being fertilsed by two sperm, in that case then arent they sort of identical? BUt still I would say that has to do with the female, not the male.

Oh I dunno, LOL, too confusing

[SammieSnail]

So it's not just me who would love to have a set of twins :laughing:

My Grandmother was a twin (GG fraternal)
My mother has had two sets of twins (both GB fraternal)
My step-father (twins dad) has fathered three sets of twins :eek: (two GB fraternal and one BB paternal)

So the fraternal twins are running down the female line....one of the three of us girls has to be lucky :)
BTW my mum was the only girl in a family of four brothers....so it must be strong :fingerscrossed:

[anak]

I have identical twins, but they do run in my family as well.
My nans sisters were twins or something like that maybe it was mt great nana was atwin..I cant remember..LOL

[twinhead]

Eat heaps of leafy greens!!!:thumbsup:

[Lollie]

Both my multiple pregnancies were what you call "natural". No history of twins in my immediate family. Majority of people I speak to that have fraternal twins don't have them running in the family - some go through IVF which basically does not up the chances for their children to have twins. Personally, I believe some people are just meant to have them, other's aren't.

By the way, twins CANNOT be a result of the males side - EVER!! It is maternal which means only you can make it happen! If you are lucky enough to inherit the gene of ovulating and releasing more than one egg - cool. The only way your partner will have an effect with twins running in the family is if you have a girl together - that is it! As for identical - it is a freak of nature - it DOES NOT run in families. Oh and one more thing that bugs me is people asking if B/G twins are identical? WTF? Not even possible....

It's easy for people who do not have twins to dream of having them but when it comes true it's a different thing altogether. Having twins is awesome, the best thing in the world, but never assume it's going to be easy, because coming from someone who knows - it's not. And I swear if I hear one more person say it can't be much different than having two under two, I may just throttle them. It is completely different ball game having twins than it is having 2 under 2.

ETA My apologies to those who may get offended by my post. I don't mean to upset anyone, just want to educate and make people aware of the facts of multiples is all.

[Shajbm]

I agree with Lollie...I'm due with twins and not only are 2 under 2 different to twins or more you mustn't forget that a twin pregnancy brings with it complications. There are less complications if the twins are fraternal, however mine are identical and have been diagnosed with twin to twin transfusion and at this stage, there is a 90% chance of loosing them...So just because you want to have twins doesn't mean that it's going to work.

I too am sorry if this post offends or upsets but the reality is that you need to be able to get through pregnancy first. Then be able to cope with 2 at the same time, with the same needs while still running a household and being able to get some sleep.

[Lollie]

Totally agree Sharon. By the way all my best wishes for your pregnancy. Please try to take things easy. I'm always thinking of you :fingerscrossed: :hugs:

[Merlion]

My best friend mum was a twin and her great-great grandad was a twin. Her husband sister has two sets of twins identical and faternal but thats it on his family.

My uncle and aunty had twins on her side it went back every generation had twins. Don't know if any of their kids will do so as only one got married (there's 6) and they had a single through IVF at 40

[Cupcake]

So my DH's Great Granny had twins, then his mum had twins, so my DH is a twin does that mean my DD could have twins :confused:

[Shajbm]

Thanks Lollie...I'm hoping for the best but I'm so scared about lossing my babies...I don't really know where to go or who to talk to...

[twins+another]

Shajake- have you contacted the multiple birth association. There will definately be someone there to talk to who knows exactly what you are feeling.

I wish you all the best

[FOURtunate]

I fell pregnant with twins at 18! Unfortunately I miscarried at 15 weeks due to TTT.

Feel pregnant again with twins at 23. Lost twin A at 12 weeks, and delivered twin B at 26 weeks.

Not sure how they came to be (:D ) but.... all of my female cousins have had twin pregnancies, as well as my Grandmother. All of the twins in my family have had monoamniotic syndrome, and TTT.

One freaky family.

[Crazy Monkey]

Another one here who would love twins...
Thought there may have been a hereditary chance with FIL being a twin but research shows otherwise...

My hat goes off to all mothers (and fathers) of twins...

Shajake - All the best for the rest of your pregnancy...

[Shajbm]

twins+another...Yes I have and so far they have been great. Seeing specialist tommorrow am and hoping for a positive result.

[Kelle]

Oh and one more thing that bugs me is people asking if B/G twins are identical? WTF? Not even possible....

lollie i had to laugh when I saw this, as my mother (Who is a midwife) and myself had a huge argument about this with my MIL. She swears black and blue you can have identical B/G twins.:rolleyes:

Shajake hope everthing goes well for you thinking of you :fingerscrossed:

[Shajbm]

Kelle...I hear you on that one...How on earth can B/G twins be ID? Maybe they can if the egg splits and is then fertilised by two different sperm?? I don't know just a thought.

Just a quick update. I've seen the specialist yesterday and had a positive result. He will be scanning me weekly and hoping that I don't progress from Stage 1. There are 5 stages, 1 being good and 5 being the worst.

It's been quiet in here.

Speak to you all soon.

[FiveInTheBed]

hi there,
after finding out we were preg with twins, i've wanted to know everything about them...
i thought this was freaky...
"DZ (fraternal) twins can be the result of superfecundation, where the conception takes place on two seperate occasions, over a couple of days of fertility. One foetus can be a few days older ans consequently slightly more developed. This also means the possilbility of fraternal twins with the same mother but two different fathers if sperm from two different men fertilise each egg."

And on the 'running in the family thing'...
"Fraternal twins run in families through the maternal side as some women have a genetic tendency to ovulate more than one egg at a time. If twins are in the father's family, this will not increase the mother's chances of having twins. However, men from families with fraternal twins can carry the gene and pass it on to their daughters, who could then conceive twins."

-from a book called "Twins" by Katrina Bowman and Louise Ryan.

And this from the Guinness book of records...
Mary Jones of the UK gave birth to 15 sets of twins.
Anna Steynvaait of South Africa gave birth to 2 sets of twins in 12 months.
Barbara Zula of South Africa had 6 sets of twins in 6 years.

...Hmmm after reading those facts I'm not quite so panicked about having three under two anymore!!!


The only history of twins any one in my family can think of was my mums aunty had G/B twins... they were called Jack and Jill!!

[Lollie]

Yes Sharon there is some speculation on whether half identical twins exist. I guess with more research and analysis it won't be long before we know for certain if that label exists. Which mean the children will have identical mother's genes but different father's genes. So they'll definitely look different.

That book has a lovely place right beside my bed. I am very fascinated by twins. It is truly an amazing process and I constantly read up & studied thoroughly on them throughout my pregnancy. Now I have run out of reading material I mainly just re-read the material I have already researched and studied over.

On the egg ovulation sector about fraternal twins can be different gestational ages. It is a little weird. My sonographer told me if you go for a scan and the dates, weights and measurements are different from one another up to 20 wks it means it is a 90% chance that they were conceived on different days which means they're fraternal. Going by GA and mmt does not determine if they're identical or not, could just mean they're just growing at different rates is all

If you are pregnant with twins and have the same gestational ages and measurements for both bubbas, there will always be speculation from your obs on whether they're identical or fraternal because identical can be the same presentation as fraternal (2 sacs, 2 placentas). The only way they can tell what sort of twin they are when they have the same GA and measurements is if the sexes are boy/girl. Even at birth (my twinnies looked very similar at birth and they were B/G) they can't tell and if you need to know tests can be carried out to determine if they are or not. Or if you can wait as they grow they'll slowly get their own looks and if after 2 months they still look identical then it's safe to say they are!

My babies were exactly the same of everything up until 22 wks, which is why there was speculation from my obs that my babies could be identical, it wasn't until they did a scan of their nether regions that it was definitely confirmed they were fraternal. So that means my eggs were fertilised at the same time. After that time their weights and measurements slowly started to become different. LOL I feel weird saying my eggs because right now they are living humans asleep on my bed. :laughing:

Sharon I am really glad for you that the tests are good at the moment. I have my fingers crossed that things stay that way. If you feel you need to chat to anyone just email me at lollieangell@hotmail.com I may not reply straight away but I will as soon as I can (which is normally within the day).

Anyways probably boring you all and I have babies to feed soon so tootles all :wave:

[Bouncy1]

I was a twin, but my brother was stillborn. My dh has twins on his side of the family. But apparently it is more to do with the female side as it is to do with how many eggs are released.

According to my scan I started off with triplets :eek: , but the early bleeding in the pregnancy was the loss of one (only 8 weeks I am not concerned about this - I had enough trouble keeping two in; I might have lost them all if the third one hadnt had gone early - gosh I hope I don't sound harsh).

Apparently industrial towns have a higher % of multiple births than towns with cleaner air. Don't know how true it is; but my town is industrial and we have a high percentage here.

From our Ultrasounds they told us that my twins were conceived three days apart.

Good luck with the TTTS hope it all works out Shajake.

When my twins were born; I had a midwife ask if they were identical huh? I said no, they are boy girl, she said but they can still be identical - well I cannot see how - surely there is a pretty major difference.

Good luck everyone with their twins inside or out, it is indeed different to 2 under 2 (having done that too).

[Duchessa]

Yeah, believe it or not you can have identical twins of opposite sex. There are about 5 known sets alive now. It occurs when there is some sort of chromosomal disorder (it slips my mind what its called right now) when you drop a Y chromosome... I was reading something about it awhile ago... I'll see if I can find it and post a link - quite weird.

How are you going Shajake?

[Duchessa]

Turners syndrome! You'll find some links if you put in that and monozygotic twins, if you are interested.

[Merlion]

Turners syndrome! You'll find some links if you put in that and monozygotic twins, if you are interested.

I actually watch a documentary on Turner's syndrome a few months back. It was very interesting and very eye opening