There are women who are just fascinated by the idea of getting pregnant with twins and multiples. It does sound mysterious that how can one pregnancy lead to having multiple babies and not everyone knows the science behind this. There are some genuine factors that can increase the chances of having identical or multiple babies. If you are keen to have identical babies, then it’s important for you to understand how they are made.
How twins are made:
- Identical twins are formed when one egg is fertilized by one sperm which splits in two. Both share exactly the same genetic components and same genetic structures.
- Non-identical babies are made from two separate eggs being fertilized by two separate sperm. These twins have their own unique little individuals and don’t share similar genetic composition.
The major factors that increase the chance of getting pregnant with twins or multiples. Know the common science behind this!
1. Family history
‘It’s all about the woman here because you are the one producing the eggs. If you are twins, or perhaps your sister has twins or multiples, then you’ll be more likely to conceive more than one. According to a report, women who are fraternal twins themselves have a 1 in 60 chance of getting pregnant with identical or multiple babies. Men with fraternal twins have a 1 in 125 chance.
2. Ethnicity
Some research has proved that the ethnic background is one of the major factors. Black and non-Hispanic white women are more likely to get pregnant with twins than Hispanic women. Japanese women have the lowest while Nigerian women have the highest ratio.
3. Age group
Women who are in their 30s and 40s are more likely to have identical or multiple babies. That’s because they release more than one egg during ovulation than younger women. The ovaries work and its function changes with age, so you may release more than one egg each month.
4. Do weight and height matter?
Fraternal twins are more common in women who are taller/ overweight. Experts are not sure about the reasons behind this case but they suspect that these women take more nutrients than smaller women.
