The Chances of Getting Pregnant With Twins
In the past, twin pregnancies were often a surprise. Today, twins are relatively common, and they occur in 1 out of every 32 births. The rate of twin births has increased over 60 percent since 1980. In only three decades, the chance of getting pregnant with twins has more than doubled.
The rate of twin pregnancy is increasing due to two factors:
One: More women delaying pregnancy after age 30. Older women (over 30) are more likely than their younger counterparts to conceive multiples.
Two: There are more women using fertility drugs and assisted reproductive technology - such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) - to become pregnant.
Most twin pairs are fraternal twins - which develop from two different eggs and two sperm. Each fraternal twin has his/her own placenta and amniotic sac. Some fraternal twins look alike; others do not. Fraternal twins can be two of the same sex (two boys or two girls), or two of each sex (one boy and one girl).
The chance of having identical twins is one in 250. Identical twins occur when a fertilized egg splits into two and becomes two babies. Each baby has its own amniotic sac, but they may share a placenta. Identical twins are always the same sex, and they look the same.
Identical twins occur by sheer chance, so there is no way to gauge your risk factor. However, you may have a chance of getting pregnant with fraternal twins in the following cases:
Twins Run in Your Family. Heredity plays a role in a multiples pregnancy. If you have multiples in your family, you have a higher chance of getting pregnant with twins than a woman who doesn't have a family history of multiples. If you're a fraternal twin, you have a 1 in 60 chance of having more than one baby.
You're a Certain Race. Twin pregnancies are more common in African-Americans. They are less common in Asians and Hispanic women.
This is Not Your First Pregnancy. Your chance of getting pregnant with twins increases with the number of pregnancies that you have.
You Are Large and Tall. Interestingly, multiples are more common in women who are tall and large, than in women who are smaller and more petite.
Your Age Matters. The chance of having multiples increases with your age. In older women, you're more likely to drop one egg in one menstrual cycle. This greatly increases your risk of having fraternal twins, especially if you have unprotected sex.
The rate of twin pregnancy is increasing due to two factors:
One: More women delaying pregnancy after age 30. Older women (over 30) are more likely than their younger counterparts to conceive multiples.
Two: There are more women using fertility drugs and assisted reproductive technology - such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) - to become pregnant.
Most twin pairs are fraternal twins - which develop from two different eggs and two sperm. Each fraternal twin has his/her own placenta and amniotic sac. Some fraternal twins look alike; others do not. Fraternal twins can be two of the same sex (two boys or two girls), or two of each sex (one boy and one girl).
The chance of having identical twins is one in 250. Identical twins occur when a fertilized egg splits into two and becomes two babies. Each baby has its own amniotic sac, but they may share a placenta. Identical twins are always the same sex, and they look the same.
Identical twins occur by sheer chance, so there is no way to gauge your risk factor. However, you may have a chance of getting pregnant with fraternal twins in the following cases:
Twins Run in Your Family. Heredity plays a role in a multiples pregnancy. If you have multiples in your family, you have a higher chance of getting pregnant with twins than a woman who doesn't have a family history of multiples. If you're a fraternal twin, you have a 1 in 60 chance of having more than one baby.
You're a Certain Race. Twin pregnancies are more common in African-Americans. They are less common in Asians and Hispanic women.
This is Not Your First Pregnancy. Your chance of getting pregnant with twins increases with the number of pregnancies that you have.
You Are Large and Tall. Interestingly, multiples are more common in women who are tall and large, than in women who are smaller and more petite.
Your Age Matters. The chance of having multiples increases with your age. In older women, you're more likely to drop one egg in one menstrual cycle. This greatly increases your risk of having fraternal twins, especially if you have unprotected sex.
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