Twins are born a generation later. Birth of twins


Probably, every expectant mother, having learned about pregnancy, asks herself the question: “Can I have twins?” Interesting question, isn't it? Two charming kids at once is double happiness and double responsibility at the same time. Therefore, of course, I would still like to figure out who will have to prepare for the replenishment of the family with two new members at once and reflect on why twins are born.

Some dry facts

When a woman carries more than one child under her heart, her pregnancy is called multiple. This term refers to a pregnancy in which two or more embryos develop in the uterus. This condition is not typical for a woman, so pregnancy with twins is considered one of a number of unusual phenomena. It is not so common: only two percent of expectant mothers give birth to two or more babies at once.

But why are twins and twins born?

Let's consider this question in more detail. With multiple pregnancies, identical or dizygotic babies may appear, or as they are scientifically called monozygotic and dizygotic twins.

Twins are born when two or more eggs mature at the same time and are fertilized by different sperm. Such children are not similar to each other, they differ in appearance, have different characters, can be of different sexes, unlike twins.

Twins are almost indistinguishable from each other. They have almost the same genetic structure. How and why this happens, no one can yet explain. One thing is clear: at first everything goes as usual, but then the fertilized egg suddenly divides into two embryos. Depending on the time when this happens, each fetus may have its own placenta and its own fetal bladder, or they may have them in common. Twins are always of the same sex, that is, two tomboys or two little princesses will be born in the family at once.

So, who gives birth to twins?

According to statistics, most often twins are born in the Negroid race. Heredity is also of great importance. If there have been cases of twins in your family, then it is likely that you may also have them. For the most part, it is passed down through the maternal line. There is also a good chance of getting a double miracle in women approaching forty years of age, as during this period hormones rise and several eggs may mature. Mothers who already have children are also able to conceive twins, because with each subsequent pregnancy, the probability only increases.

And if I didn’t have twins in my family, but I really want to ...

Many are interested in how to make sure that twins are born. Here are some ways:

  1. If you have not had sexual intercourse for a long time, you can get twins. Or, conversely, increased sexual activity can lead to double joy.
  2. Women who take birth control pills or who for some reason take hormones can easily conceive twins when these drugs are stopped.
  3. If a married couple resorts to the services of a doctor to become pregnant, then when using IVF, they can become parents of several children.
  4. Stimulation of pregnancy can contribute to the maturation of more than one egg.
  5. If the uterus is developed in a special way (for example, doubled or has an intrauterine septum), this fact also answers the question of why twins are born.

Tell me who your relative is and I will tell you how many children you will have

An expectant mother, who herself is lucky to celebrate a name day with a brother or sister on the same day, often wonders: “Can twins have twins?” There is no definite answer to this question. The probability is about fifty-fifty, if you're lucky. There are some families in which twins and even triplets are born from generation to generation. And there are those for whom this is an isolated case. There are several places on earth where the birth of twins is common. For example, in one Indian village there was a case of the birth of 70 pairs of twins.

How are twins and twins born?

Everyone knows that, usually, pregnancy lasts 40 weeks. And with multiple pregnancies, the optimal period is 37 weeks, after which babies are usually born. Of course, mostly doctors are of the opinion that it is better to resort to surgical intervention. But do not think that all twins are born by caesarean section, there are many twins who were born naturally.

As you know, in pairs of twins there is always an older and a younger child. And from how parents will behave with them, focus on it or not, the development of the personality of each baby will occur, and emphasizes: raising twins is not an easy task that must be approached with all responsibility.

Many couples dream of becoming parents of twins. Everyone has their own reasons for this: some dream of forgetting about childbirth forever, giving the world and their beloved husband two babies at once, while others believe that the more children in the family, the better.

Unfortunately, the probability of having twins depends not only on the endless desire of the parents. According to statistics, there is only one twin in eighty pregnancies. However, this number continues to increase over time. Experts find an explanation in the fact that women at an early age begin to use hormonal drugs that affect conception.

Twins are fraternal children, which are obtained due to the fact that two sperm fertilize different eggs. The formation of each fetus is carried out in a separate placenta. Twins are not always like two drops of water alike. On the contrary, babies can be completely different. Children of different sexes are often born.

Scientists involved in genetic research say that the predisposition to conceiving identical children is transmitted to a woman from her mother.

If we compare the number of cases of the birth of twins with the birth of twins, we get the following picture: fraternal babies are born three times more often. In addition, it is impossible not to notice the fact that the likelihood of such a pregnancy in adult women is higher than in young girls. In the period from 20 to 30 years, the probability of conceiving twins is about three percent, while in 30-40 years it increases to six.

The chance of having two babies also depends on the number of previous pregnancies. After all, the more children a mother has, the higher the likelihood that the next will be twins. This is due to the fact that in the process of bearing the fetus, the mother gains excess weight, which is a favorable factor for the conception of heterozygous babies.

Features of conception

Experts believe that the standard female body is designed to bear one fetus. Pregnancy with two or three babies at the same time is classified by medicine as an anomaly.

The fact is that the process of conception involves the participation of one sperm and one egg. There are rare cases when one egg is fertilized, but it divides in half. As a result of such a pregnancy, identical twins are born. The reasons have not yet been established.

artificial conception

There are several effective methods for giving birth to twins, which are divided into two main groups:

  • artificial;
  • natural.

The first type of conception of fraternal children involves seeking medical help. The birth of twins is helped by the IVF method, which allows the fertilization of eggs for transplantation of the expectant mother. In such a situation, the probability of the desired outcome is very high.

natural conception

Many women, for various reasons, refuse IVF, but still continue to dream of twins. In such a situation, it would be appropriate to turn to a geneticist, since it is this doctor who is engaged in turning such desires into reality.

Before going to the hospital, it is necessary to collect an anamnesis, that is, the most detailed and detailed information about your relatives, their ailments and predispositions. It is mandatory to provide a medical history of a married couple who wants to become parents of twins.


It is very important to make your menu of those products that provoke the release of several eggs during the ovulation process. Plus, before conception, it is necessary to stimulate the functioning of the ovaries. This is helped by walnuts, chicken eggs and cereals.


If a woman wants to become a happy mother of two charming girls, then, first of all, she should pay attention to the position in which conception occurs. It is best to achieve the desired result in a missionary position.

Equally important is the proper nutrition of the expectant mother. To conceive girls, a menu should be drawn up, which includes:

  • sugar;
  • spices;
  • jam;
  • any type of honey;
  • fragrant herbs.

How to give birth to identical boys

For the birth of twin boys, the position in which fertilization occurs is also important. In this case, deep penetration positions make it easier for sperm to access the uterus.

Experts say that the likelihood of Y-sperm penetration increases after orgasm, since special components are released in the process that increase the life of sperm. As a result, they will have more time to get to the egg.

A diet that promotes the conception of boys consists of foods such as:


It is very important to exclude bread, waffles, raw cabbage, caviar, seafood, nuts, and beans from your diet. For the conception of twin boys, it is recommended to heavily salt food and eat more canned foods.

It would be a mistake to believe that all these remedies will absolutely lead to the conception of twins, but they increase this likelihood.

There are several other factors that affect the birth of twins.

FactorAddiction
Cancellation of contraceptivesThe essence of contraceptives is that they block the work of the ovaries. The moment a woman stops taking fertility drugs, her ovaries produce a large number of eggs. From this, the likelihood of becoming pregnant and giving birth to twins greatly increases.
AbstinenceIt is widely believed that prolonged refusal to have sex promotes conception, since in such a situation the activity of spermatozoa increases. To date, there is no scientific evidence for this theory.
HeightIt is known that tall women are much more likely to give birth to heterogeneous children.
milk consumptionDairy products increase the level of insulin in the blood, which affects the performance of eggs.
OriginA man with African roots has a predisposition to conceive twins or twins.
SeasonIn the spring, the sun helps the body produce a hormone called gonadotropin. It is very important in the conception of twins.
ClimateSurprisingly, even parameters such as humidity, daylight hours, and the level of natural radioactive background affect the likelihood of conceiving twins. It has been reliably proven that there are areas in which heterogeneous children are regularly born and it cannot be explained by anything other than the geographical factor.
The structure of the uterusMost often, the abnormal structure of the uterus provokes multiple pregnancy.
Menstrual cycleIt is believed that women whose cycle duration is exactly three weeks are more likely to give birth to twins.


If happy parents managed to conceive twins, this does not mean that the most difficult is left behind. In such a situation, a lot of worries are assigned to the future mother. Firstly, during pregnancy with twins, morning and evening nausea will torment a woman longer than during a normal pregnancy. Secondly, when carrying two babies, the likelihood of varicose veins greatly increases. It is necessary to purchase special underwear, which is designed to reduce the load and make breathing easier.

Two babies is a significant weight for the body, which sometimes ends in premature birth. A woman should be ready for this. It is recommended to go to the hospital a little ahead of time so that labor activity does not take mommy by surprise. In the last months, physical exercises should be completely abandoned, as they can provoke contractions.

Around the middle of a woman's pregnancy, her appetite often decreases. There is nothing to worry about, since the cause is a natural increase in the uterus. The organ puts pressure on the stomach, which disrupts its work. Despite this, the body still needs to receive a lot of calories. The expectant mother should eat in small portions, but very often.

Among the mandatory actions, the intake of folic acid is emphasized. This vitamin helps to suppress any congenital disorders and alleviate defects associated with the nervous system. Folic acid intake should be carried out throughout the entire period.

Video - How to conceive twins

Many couples try. Some want the child to grow up with a brother or sister of the same age. And others simply want to start a big family right away. Despite the fact that twins are born quite rarely, there are certain factors due to which you can significantly increase the likelihood of two babies being born at the same time.

What determines the birth of twins? Factors such as lifestyle, genetic predisposition, and even the ethnicity of partners come to the fore here. If a married couple is determined to have twins, the following information may be quite useful.

What are twins?

The birth of twins is determined by the type of fertilization of the mother's egg. The most common are dizygotic and In the first case, the embryos appear from two different eggs with simultaneous fertilization. Children conceived in this way usually have both external and sexual differences.

As for monozygotic twins, their conception occurs as a result of the splitting of one fertilized egg into two equal parts. The development of a monozygotic fetus is always characterized by the birth of children of the same sex with an identical set of genetic traits, one blood group and almost one hundred percent external similarity.

Reasons for the birth of twins

The main reason for the development of two embryos at once with a natural method of conception is the abundance of healthy, highly active spermatozoa in a man and the presence of an egg ready for fertilization. The effect is enhanced by unquestioning adherence to the recommendations of a specialist, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, as well as a predisposition to conceiving several babies in one or both partners.

Other reasons for the birth of twins are the consumption of foods or drugs whose constituent elements cause hyperovulation. However, doctors rarely recommend this kind of drugs in order to avoid the appearance of various complications during pregnancy, although they are quite effective.

genetic predisposition

An increased likelihood of the birth of several babies at the same time is present in families in which such cases were recorded on the maternal side. So, if a woman's mother or grandmother gave birth to twins, she has an increased chance of giving birth to twins too.

However, it is not so simple. Of great importance in this case is the combination of it in both partners. More often, heredity in terms of the birth of twins manifests itself after one generation. But even with the combination of the above circumstances, the chance for a successful outcome of the conception of twins is no more than fifty percent.

With weak heredity or insufficient strength of sex hormones of partners, the probability of having twins or twins varies from five to fifteen percent.

Factors contributing to the birth of two or more babies at once

As statistics show, the chances of having twins or twins in a healthy woman without a genetic predisposition are only about three percent. In general, there are a number of factors, the presence of which increases the likelihood of having two or more babies at the same time.

The chance of having twins increases if:

  • in the family on the maternal side there have already been cases of the birth of twins or twins;
  • the woman has African roots (Europeans are in second place in terms of the likelihood of having twins, followed by Asians and Hispanics);
  • the woman has already had successful pregnancies (this trend is associated with an increase in the capabilities of the human body);
  • a woman is tall, leads a healthy lifestyle, eats well, or has some excess weight.

Nutrition and vitamins

In families in which partners lead an unhealthy lifestyle, eat poorly and neglect the intake of food rich in vitamins and useful trace elements, the likelihood of having twins is significantly reduced.

At the conception of a child and directly during its bearing, any vitamin complexes are useful. However, as practice shows, the birth of twins becomes more likely with the active intake of high-folic acid supplements, which are now available in almost any pharmacy.

Good, wholesome nutrition, rich in fresh, environmentally friendly products, not only leads to the birth of a healthy child, but also increases the chance of having twins. Significantly less such chances in people who are underweight.

If we talk about complete, good nutrition, then it should provide a uniform weight gain without causing harm to health and one's own well-being. Naturally, trying to increase the likelihood of having twins by any means, it is better to consult in advance in a reputable clinic. After all, only the application of the knowledge of a trained, experienced and practicing doctor makes it possible to hope for a positive result.

What is the probability of having twins if you resort to the help of a specialist?

Going to an experienced specialist can increase the chance of conceiving twins. In modern medical practice, there are enough professional doctors who can help give birth to twins to almost any couple.

Currently, the issues of conception of twins are most often solved by using the method of in vitro fertilization. Conceiving children in this way can cost a young couple a lot. However, the introduction of several healthy sperm at the same time into the mother's egg by artificial means significantly increases the likelihood of achieving the desired goal.

Finally

What determines the birth of twins? This issue is still not fully understood and remains shrouded in mystery. However, it is certainly known that an increased likelihood of conceiving two or more babies is transmitted through the generation.

It is worth noting that there are a sufficient number of families in which there are cases of conception of several twins, twins and even triplets. There are also families where twins or twins are grandparents, cousins, nephews and nieces. Therefore, the answer to this question is best known to nature. All the best!

No one will argue with the fact that the birth of a child is a great happiness, which can only be greater than the birth of two children at the same time. For some, this comes as a surprise, while others have spent a lot of time and effort on studying how twins and twins are made. And if earlier their birth was called a miracle, then modern reproductive technologies have greatly simplified this process.

How do you get twins?

To understand the likelihood of a woman having two children at the same time, you must initially understand the mechanism of such a conception:

  • twins or fraternal twins are the result of the simultaneous maturation and fertilization of a pair of eggs, another option for their appearance may be the fertilization of one egg by two spermatozoa at the same time;
  • The answer to how identical twins are obtained is the division of a fertilized egg into two parts (zygotes), each of which carries the same gene set.

Why is it a twin?

This option of fertilization is in a constant process of study, since it is impossible to say exactly what makes the body comply with all the conditions necessary for the birth of twins or twins. However, some indirect factors were still identified. For example:

  1. The biggest role is played by the genetic side of the issue. The chances of conceiving twins increase if this happened in the woman's family, and best of all - for both spouses.
  2. The guarantor of the birth of twins or twins is the passage of the IVF procedure. Under the watchful eye of an embryologist, the process of fertilization and transfer of embryos takes place, the number of implanted of which is unpredictable. Sometimes only one of them remains, or several survive. Then the woman herself chooses how many to keep.
  3. The answer to how twins are obtained may well be a long course of using contraceptive hormonal drugs or medications that treat. As a result of this, ovarian function is stimulated, after which a pair of eggs may well mature at the same time. However, this does not mean at all that you can independently prescribe a similar course for yourself - this is fraught with bleeding and cysts in the ovaries.

How to contribute to the birth of twins or twins?

There are some medically unsubstantiated theories that can be used to provoke a woman's body to produce several eggs ready for fertilization. For example:

It must be understood that neither the IVF method, nor even the most careful observance of medical or folk methods guarantees pregnancy with several fetuses. Get ready for a big waste of money, time, nerves, and possible disappointments. Nature will definitely take over, no matter how hard you try to keep it under control.

Overall, about one in 32 births (more than 3 percent) birth of twins. But your chances of birth of twins much less (1 in 89) if you got pregnant without medical help. The chances of having triplets or more are 1 in 565.

Identical twins are usually rarely born. Your chances of having identical (identical) twins when one embryo divides into two, they are approximately 1 in 250.

Fertility treatment dramatically increases chances of having twins. On average, 20-25 percent of women who have been treated for infertility or have undergone in vitro fertilization or other techniques have had twins or more.

Other factors that influence the chance of having twins

If you have twins, your next pregnancy is twice as likely to birth of twins.

The presence of twins in your family also increases chance of having twins. The presence of twins in your partner's family does not in any way affect the likelihood of having twins in your family.

The older you are, the more your chances of having twins. The likely cause is hormonal changes.

The more pregnancies you have, the more likely you are to have twins.

Geminis are more often born to taller women.

When will you know you are having twins?

Women find out they have more than one baby during an ultrasound, most often at the end of the first trimester.

If you have routine screening, you will probably have it between 10-14 weeks. If your pregnancy is the result of fertility treatment, then you will probably have an earlier ultrasound.