Photo: Keira Burton

Do twins come from the mom or dad?

whattoexpect.com - Do Twins Really Run in Families? - What to Expect

What causes attraction in girls?

Emotional attraction is all about how you make another person FEEL. It can be triggered in a variety of ways: through touch, pheromones, body...

Last updated Dec 21, 2020

What percent of people meet their soulmates?

Men (46%) are more likely than women (40%) to say they've met their soulmate, and are currently dating/married to them. Adults over 55, who of...

Last updated Jul 2, 2020

Do you really know who the “One” is? Your true Soulmate?

Promotion

If you or your partner comes from a family that's brimming with twins, you may be wondering whether that might influence your chance of having twins or multiples. The answer: It does — but only in certain cases. Here's what you need to know about the science behind family heredity and twins.

Are twins hereditary?

Yes, some types of twins are hereditary, meaning that twins run in families. Heredity on the mother's side ups a couple's odds of conceiving fraternal twins. Fraternal twins are two babies from two different eggs that were released from the ovaries simultaneously. Some research has found that having fraternal twins in a mother's immediate family may double the chances of conceiving fraternal twins. One theory is that it's because a certain gene may predispose some women to "hyperovulation," or releasing more than one egg during each menstrual cycle. Women with this gene appear to have naturally higher levels of particular hormones, including those related to the regulation of releasing eggs. However, few genes appear to be definitively linked to hyperovulation, so it could just be that genetics in general on the mother's side contribute to the probability of having fraternal twins. Heredity on the father's side, on the other hand, does not increase a couple's odds of having twins. This is true even if his family is packed with multiples. What about identical twins, or two babies who have an identical set of genes because they're from one fertilized embryo that splits in two? Most cases of identical twins don't appear to run in families and instead seem to be a spontaneous occurrence, say experts. But there are some families with a larger-than-usual number of identical twins, suggesting there may be a genetic link. But such a link hasn't been proven definitively. In other words, there's no hard evidence that being from a family with identical twins has an impact on your probability of having identical twins yourself.

Do twins skip a generation?

If you've heard that twins skip a generation, the theory goes like this: If there is a hyperovulation gene and a man inherits it from his mother, he may pass this gene on to his daughter. His daughter, in turn, is then more likely to release more than one egg when she ovulates and therefore could conceive fraternal twins. So the twins could have, in essence, skipped a generation. However, because there aren't any definitive links between genes and hyperovulation and because twins don't predictably always skip a generation, it's likely just a coincidence when it does occur. In reality, there is no solid evidence that twins skip a generation. So that notion is nothing more than a colorful myth.

How likely is it that you'll have twins?

About 3.2 percent of all live births in the U.S. in 2019 were to twins. So there's about a 3.2 percent chance that you'll conceive twins. But a few factors — not just heredity — can up the chances of having twins, including the following characteristics in the mother:

She is 35 or older

She is overweight

She's taking fertility treatments

She's Black

This is not her first pregnancy, especially if she's previously been pregnant with multiples So take a good look at your family tree. If it's full of identical twins, or there are twins on the father's side but not the mother's, twins may not be in your future. But if there are fraternal twins on the mother's side, you may want to start stocking up on two of everything on your baby registry.

What is the opposite of love language?

In addition to learning how to show love, knowing a person's love language is also extremely helpful to keep from hurting them. We have taken to...

Last updated Oct 10, 2022

How long does it take to genuinely fall in love?

The average time for men to fall in love is 88 days, while those same feelings of true love take women 134 days. Another dating site, Elite...

Last updated Oct 5, 2019

Promotion

Do twins start their period at the same time?

For girl multiples, you can support them by reassuring your girls that periods starting at different times is perfectly normal. Some multiples have started their period three years before their twin/triplet.

twinstrust.org - Puberty - Twins Trust

Every family will have a different experience of adolescence, however, entering adolescence at exactly the same time as your sibling is very unique. Puberty can start as early as 10 years old or as late as 18 years old. Even twins of the same sex can go through puberty at different times. We know the thought of entering into the teenage years with more than one teenager under your roof can be daunting but help is at hand – as a parent of multiples, here’s some things to consider: You can support your multiples by considering how sensitive privacy can become particularly when they experience physical changes, especially for boy/girl multiples. It may be the case that one child wants more privacy than the other. It can help to talk to them both separately about their privacy needs. For girl multiples, you can support them by reassuring your girls that periods starting at different times is perfectly normal. Some multiples have started their period three years before their twin/triplet. As it becomes more important to your children about being part of a peer group and not being ‘different’ they may want to play down the fact that they are part of a set of twins/ triplets. You can support your children to become independent. It’s possible when they finish secondary school they’ll be heading off in different directions depending on where their career preferences lead them. The uncertainty of the teenage years, together with physical and hormonal changes can be challenging, but fear not, this phase will pass and you’ll be parents to young adults before you know it.

Who can you not marry in Islam?

Prohibited to you are your mothers, your daughters, your sisters, your paternal aunts, your maternal aunts, brother's daughters, sister's...

Last updated Jun 28, 2022

How do I know if I'm attracted to someone?

Here's a look at some common examples of emotional attraction and how to spot them: Feeling like they “get you” ... Constantly thinking about them....

Last updated Jun 23, 2018

Promotion

Which religion has low divorce rate?

Across gender, the disparity is wider (most men remarry but women can't, hence the disparity). For every 1,000 married Hindu women, 2.6 are...

Last updated Dec 23, 2018

Promotion

Can you sleep with someone Platonically?

Don't be fooled by the word “platonic” – it just means nothing physical happened, including kissing and sex. At the end of the day, if you got into...

Last updated Mar 17, 2021