What are the chances of having twins and is that increased if a person is a fraternal or identical twin?
2007-02-07 09:16:10 · 10 answers · asked by osu06 1 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Trying to Conceive
Fraternal twinning runs down through the mother's side (obviously there are plenty of fraternal twins in families that have no family history of twinning; I'm simply talking about what side of the family you look to when determining whether family history is relevant.) Fraternal twinning occurs when more than one egg is released during ovulation, a trait that can be passed down and, obviously, would only be a factor for women. A female who is herself a fraternal twin has an increased chance of having fraternal twins herself; meanwhile, her fraternal twin brother would have to look at his wife's/partner's family history to determine whether family history would play a role for him.
At one time it was thought that fraternal twinning skipped a generation, but that was proven false -- it does not skip generations.
As for identical twinning, the official line is that such twinning is a random event. As such, the incidence of identical twins in one's family wouldn't be relevant. So -- in theory -- if I'm an identical twin that shouldn't raise my chance of having twins (identical or fraternal) myself, nor should it play a role for my identical twin. That said, there is a lot of anecdotal evidence that suggests that, while we may not understand how it can be otherwise, identical twinning is not just a random event; there are numerous reports of families having several sets of identical twins, the incidence of which far far exceeds any statistical chances of such a "random event" occurring within one family. So, the jury's out on that one, in a way.
There are several things that increase the likelihood of having fraternal twins, not just family history. Absent any of those "risk factors," a person in the "general public" has roughly a 3 percent chance of having fraternal twins, at least, according to what I've read.
2007-02-07 10:08:42 · answer #1 · answered by ljb 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have read that fraternal twins run in families because the trait of ovulating two eggs instead of one can be passed from mother to daughter. Identical twins happen by chance, though, so identical twins do not run in families.
2007-02-07 11:21:29 · answer #2 · answered by KM 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Twins skips a generation so if you are a twin the chances of YOU having twins are slim but the chances of your child having twins are very good.
2007-02-07 09:20:06 · answer #3 · answered by K J 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Is the father a twin or a mother a twin?
2007-02-07 09:23:20 · answer #4 · answered by Tammy C 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They do have a higher chance of having twins if your twins are females.....if they are males...no
2007-02-07 09:29:10 · answer #5 · answered by abc 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes , if twins run in the family there is a very good chance for you
2007-02-07 09:20:12 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
I would think so, But I believe it always skips a generation. Not always but in most cases.
2007-02-07 09:25:21 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes
2007-02-07 18:01:58 · answer #8 · answered by wetcat2009 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They say that they do....and then they say that they don't....I think it's one of those things that they really just don't know why it happens....
2007-02-07 09:22:07 · answer #9 · answered by unicorns_77 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I don't think so.
2007-02-07 09:18:57 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋