Probability of twins. Why are twins born? How to determine the probability of having twins

The subtleties of raising twins. Features of the development of twins.

Gemini - double happiness and worries for parents. Many women simply dream of giving birth to two children at once, however, according to statistics, most twins are born to women after 35 years of age.

Why are twins born?

Modern medicine knows almost everything about the processes that occur in a woman’s body immediately after conception. The following factors contribute to the birth of twins:

• Infertility treatment
• Increased levels of FSH in a woman’s body
• Heredity age over 35 years

Scientists are now separating monozygotic and dizygotic twins. The difference is in the amount of initial biomaterial for conception. When treating infertility and in women over 35 years of age, the amount of follicle-stimulating hormone is higher than normal, so instead of one egg, two or more grow. Each of them is fertilized by a separate sperm. In this case, the twins may be of different sexes and generally dissimilar.

And in the case of a monozygotic pregnancy, one fertilized cell divides into two during growth. This mechanism has not been fully studied. But identical twins are most often the same sex and their DNA is almost the same. Why at some point the cell divides into two is still unclear. It is impossible to plan such a pregnancy.

How to determine the probability of having twins?

The probability of having twins from two eggs is 1.4%. That is, 14 women out of 1000 will become mothers of twins. Scientists have found that black people are three times more likely to have twins. These are features of physiology and development. The chance of having identical twins is only 0.3%.

Scientists have found that a third of all twins are born to women who have been treated for infertility for a long time.

During IVF there is also a high risk of having twins or triplets, but this is a completely controlled procedure. Several embryos can take root in the uterus during IVF. How much a woman wants to leave, she chooses herself.

What is the difference between twins and twins?

In medicine, the concept of twins does not exist as such. These are identical or multiple identical twins. To make it easier to navigate, among the people, children who are different from each other and of different sexes are called twins. And completely identical children born from the same cell are twins. Although in medicine these are twins, only born from one or more cells.

How do you get twins and twins?

The mechanism of birth of dizygotic twins is simple. Under the influence of follicle-stimulating hormone, not one dominant follicle grows in a woman’s body, but several. Most often, one egg matures in each ovary. Once in the uterus, the sperm fertilizes each egg. Zygotes can attach in different places of the uterus.

Placenta previa often occurs, when one fetus is “unsuccessfully” attached at the very exit of the uterus. As one fetus grows, it puts pressure on the other, increasing the risk of miscarriage or premature birth.

Why one fertilized cell divides into two parts is unclear. But there are such variations of identical twins:

• Both embryos have their own placenta and gestational sac and develop independently of each other
• Two embryos share the fetal space. Often in such cases, conjoined children are born - Siamese twins.
• One egg has a polar body, which is also fertilized

What are the developmental features of twins?

Typically, twins are born at a lower birth weight than normal babies. They later begin to hold their heads, sit and walk. It is not uncommon for one twin to be born larger and the other smaller. A stronger child begins to speak earlier and has developed fine motor skills and skills. But by school years, the differences disappear.

• Many people think that twins are retarded, but in fact they are not. You need to work more with such children, since initially they are weaker. During their school years, twins catch up with their peers in physical development
• Social skills. Psychologically, twins are more developed than other children. This is due to the fact that even at an early age they perceive each other as one whole. They often argue, fight and make up
• Geminis learn to share, forgive and give in earlier than other children. When twins grow up, it is very easy for mother to deal with them. They take care of her, call and come often. In high school, such children often help their parents with housework

How to raise twins?

Many parents try to raise twins as one child. They feed them from the same bottle and put them to sleep in the same bed. Of course, this allows the kids to get used to each other and feel like one. Later, this can significantly slow down the development of children.

• At 6 months, children have become accustomed to each other, look into emotions and react to them. It’s quite easy for mom at this time, since the children don’t require attention, they are busy with each other. At the same time, this slows down the speech of babies, since most of the time they hear not normal words, but humming sounds.
• Try to divide responsibilities between family members, and let everyone take turns interacting with the kids. Try to buy separate beds, but feed, potty and sleep at the same time
• Don't buy the same toys for your children. Everyone should be an individual, not just one whole
• Try not to purchase the same things and purchases. Explain to the kids that this time you will buy something for one child, and after a while for the second child
• If children fight over toys, do not rush to buy exactly the same one for your second child. Explain what to share
• If possible, take your kids for walks separately. You can hand one child over to dad and go for a walk with the second. Next time, change. This fosters individuality in children, and will help you better understand the interests of each child.
• It is necessary for kids to have different friends and interests. It’s great if they want to study in different classes and attend different clubs

Should twins be dressed alike?

• When babies are not yet a year old, even mothers have difficulty distinguishing them. To make the task easier, you can purchase the same things in different colors. You can put different hats or booties on the kids. After a year, try to buy different things for your kids. They should not feel like an addition to their brother or sister.
• Allow children to choose their own clothes. It’s good if one is fond of sports and wears tracksuits, while the other prefers classic clothes
• As soon as children learn to dress themselves, put their clothes in different closets. Let them choose what they will wear to kindergarten or school in the morning.

How to care for twins?

Many questions arise around feeding and sleeping children. If you decide to breastfeed your babies, do it at the same time. Get a comfortable pillow and use both hands to support your babies.

• When the children grow up, they can each be placed face down on the chest, provided that the mother’s breast size is no larger than a size four. Never feed children on demand. You need a clear schedule, otherwise you will quickly run out of steam.
• You can buy one crib for children, but separate it with a partition, which can be removed sometimes so that the kids communicate with each other
• Try to put your children to bed at the same time. Bathe at the same time too. If the babies are still very small, bathe one after the other, the most restless one should be the first. Since when bathing a calm baby, he can throw tantrums
• When children learn to sit, buy them bathing chairs and bathe them together

At what stage are twins born?

Labor usually begins prematurely. On average, twins are born at 34-38 weeks. Few people reach 39-40 weeks, and some doctors believe that there is no point in babies being in the stomach for so long, because there is simply no room left for them. Premature birth is considered to be at 32 weeks. This usually happens with placenta previa or polyhydramnios. If the cervix opens prematurely, the pregnant woman may be given a ring and placed in storage. Complete rest is shown. They are forbidden to even get up for a walk.

In 70% of cases, twins are born through surgery and only 30% are born naturally.

If the mother's health is good and there is no need for a cesarean section, labor is usually rapid. And a woman gives birth to children 2-3 hours from the start of contractions. Often children are born as a result of a planned caesarean section.

First of all, don't think that having twins won't change your life. Don't expect that your home will always be clean and tidy. Now you will think about unwashed dishes and floors late at night.

• Understand that you cannot fix everything on your own. Distribute responsibilities among all family members
• Once a week, leave the kids with someone from your family and go to a cafe with your friends or to the cinema with your husband
• Write down your daily routine and try to follow it
• Don't put off small things until later. It's easier to wash one plate than the whole mountain.
• Don't push yourself. It’s better not to do something and relax. After all, babies need a healthy and satisfied mother.

Of course, caring for twins is much more difficult than caring for one baby, but over time you will get used to it. After all, no everyday problems can compare with the smile of children and their hugs.

VIDEO: Multiple pregnancy

Hello, dear readers of my blog! Those of you who often come to “visit” me know that most often those who are concerned about the birth and upbringing of twins turn to me for advice. Some people dream of their “Hansel and Gretel”, while others are afraid of their appearance like fire. I’ll try to help both of them - I’ll tell you who can have twins and why!

The story of twins begins the same as for all other children - with the fertilization of an egg by a sperm. Immediately after this, miracles begin. Depending on whether these miracles happen with one egg or several, they are born.

Modern science defines three types - monozygotic (identical), dizygotic and mixed type - polar twins. There are, of course, Siamese twins and some other options, but now we are only talking about cases when everything is within the normal range.

If the zygote is divided into several parts, the result is monozygotic twins with the same genotype. These are always children of the same sex, precisely those about whom programs are often filmed and research is conducted, because they are like two peas in a pod, they have similar characters and even the facts of life often coincide.

The later the zygote splits, the more likely it is that the babies will be “” - one is right-handed, the other is left-handed, one has a birthmark on the left, the other has a birthmark in the same place on the right, etc.

If the mother carries two zygotes, the twins are born with different genotypes and differ from ordinary brothers and sisters only in that they come into this world during the same birth. Interestingly, fertilization of these eggs can occur at different times, not necessarily during the same sexual intercourse. Sometimes such twins are even born from different fathers!

Unlike the other two types, polar twins are just twins, and they inherit identical genes from the mother and different genes from the father. The beautiful concept of “royal twins” refers to just such a polar type, when a boy and a girl are born, outwardly completely similar to each other.

Twins as a gift from ancestors

The occurrence of twins is influenced by several factors, in determining which science relies, for the most part, on statistics. Let's start with the natural, or more precisely, genetic factor, which plays a role even on the scale of civilizations.

We are talking about dizygotic twins, because multiple births can be inherited, and not the ability of the egg to divide. Representatives of the Negroid race are born with twins more often than others. The next most common births are Europeans, but in Latin America or Japan the birth of twins is very rare.

Science has clearly determined through which line multiple births are transmitted. The probability of having twins (triplets, etc.) is greater if one or both parents already had twins in the family, and the gene for multiple births is transmitted through the female line.

Let me explain. If in your family - your parents (grandmothers, great-grandmothers) or their cousins ​​- there have already been cases of the birth of twins, then you are in the zone of probability.

Through the male line, transmission of the desired gene is possible through a generation. If a man is one of the twins, then he can, theoretically, become a transmission link between his mother and his daughter. However, the appearance of twins will be influenced not by his gender, but by the heredity of his wife.

Natural factors of multiple births

In addition to heredity, age is of great importance. The older a woman is (after 30 and before 40-45 years), the greater the likelihood that she will become the mother of twins. This is due to a potential increase in the production of the hormone responsible for the functioning of the sex glands and influencing the formation of ovarian follicles.

Hormones are also produced in greater quantities in the summer - during longer daylight hours. Therefore, it is believed that the summer period is the best time for conceiving twins!

Another natural factor is the health of the expectant mother. The body controls the balance between a woman's capabilities and the load on her during pregnancy. If a woman eats well, is in excellent physical shape, perhaps plumper than fashion magazines demand of her, she is more likely to become a mother of twins than one who barely has the strength to support herself.

The body also becomes stronger, activating with each new birth, and the chance of having twins increases if you already have children.

Artificial influence on the birth of twins

Artificial factors for multiple births include hormonal therapy. After stopping long-term use of oral contraceptives, the woman’s body happily restores the functions of conception, and the likelihood of multiple births increases.

It also increases if hormonal infertility treatment is carried out, aimed at stimulating ovulation. I’m not even talking about artificial insemination (IVF), in which several embryos are implanted into a woman’s uterus, and the likelihood that all of them will take root is quite high.

The fact that the production of hormones can be stimulated does not mean that by taking hormonal drugs you can purposefully influence the number of your future children. This effect is possible only as a side effect of the treatment prescribed by a doctor, and independently choosing and taking such drugs can cause irreparable damage to your health!

It’s impossible to predict, what to do?

Even taking into account all natural and artificial factors, their gestation, birth and future life will be under the supervision of doctors and scientists around the world for a long time.

We cannot calculate the number of children before conception, and we also cannot influence this number before conception. Whether you inherited the “twin gene” from your ancestors or not, whether you are a slim woman or a plump one, if you are going to become a mother, accept the fact that nature will choose for you. Believe me, as a mother of twins, any number of children is only for the better!

Healthy babies to you! Don't forget to subscribe to the blog and leave your comments! See you again!

- this is double joy. But at the same time as an increase in positive emotions among parents and their relatives, this event sometimes brings with it an increase in problems: both material and housing. Therefore, many married couples, when planning a pregnancy, try to calculate their likelihood of having twins.

Reasons for having twins

Physiologically, there are two reasons for the birth of twins:

• as a result of the division of one fertilized egg into two zygotes containing a complete set of genes to form a complete embryo. In this case, twins are born - children with the same genetics and appearance;
• simultaneous fertilization of two eggs. This leads to the birth of twins: these can be same-sex or opposite-sex children (“royal twins”).

What are the chances of getting pregnant with twins?

Previously, it was believed that twins could only be born to couples who had multiple pregnancies. But scientists have found that there are other factors that increase the likelihood of having twins in any family.

1. Infertility treatment– women are prescribed medications and procedures to stimulate the ovaries, which lead to the maturation of two eggs at the same time.
2. Taking oral hormonal contraceptives– after finishing taking contraceptives, the body tries to make up for the period of forced “rest”, so the cases of maturation of several eggs at once increases.
3. Woman's age– after 35 years, ovulation increases, which increases the likelihood of conceiving twins.
4. Food– consumption of foods that increase sexual activity or enhance the functioning of the follicles (for example: ground potatoes).
5. Artificial insemination– during the IFE procedure, several fertilized eggs are injected into the woman. If the outcome of the procedure is favorable, i.e. if several eggs implant and develop normally, the mother herself decides how many children she wants to raise: one or two.
6. Season– it was found that in spring, due to longer daylight hours, there is an increase in the activity of sex hormones, which promotes double fertilization.
7. Female physiology– it has been proven that every 200 cycles, a woman’s two follicles become active at the same time, and with the same frequency (1 in 200) the fertilized egg divides into two equal zygotes.
8. Number of previous pregnancies– with each subsequent pregnancy, the likelihood of developing multiple births increases.

Signs of twin birth

In the early stages of pregnancy (up to 8 weeks), the only signs that twins have been conceived can be increased toxicosis and fatigue. Already at 8-10 weeks, by visiting an experienced gynecologist, you can determine the presence of a multiple pregnancy. Another sign is also added - the rapid weight gain of a pregnant woman and the growth of her abdomen. Already at 12 weeks, at the first planned ultrasound, a specialist will accurately determine the number of fetuses in the uterus.

If you want to calculate the probability of conceiving twins, you need to know that this is almost impossible naturally, since everything depends only on Mother Nature. If you really want to give birth to twins, you will need to contact specialists to carry out artificial insemination procedures with two embryos or stimulate the ovaries to cause the production of two eggs at once.

Not all parents dream of having twins in their family. Still, they are afraid of the increased load that will appear when caring for newborn twins, increased simultaneous spending, problems with infectious diseases, etc.

It's no secret that parents of twins It’s always a little more difficult than if the children have some difference in age, when the elders can already help a little, they can be taken to childcare centers, and clothes do not need to be bought at the same time. But some people dream on the contrary, oh birth of twins. Many expectant parents wonder what the likelihood of having twins is and try to plan for it.

Watch a video about how twins behave on an ultrasound (22 weeks)

According to statistics, the probability of having twins appears only in one case out of two hundred. Only once every 200 cycles do two viable eggs mature at the same time. And if the combination of circumstances is favorable, then two little people are born at once. Usually they look alike, but only like ordinary brothers or sisters; they can also be of different genders, weights, and natural characteristics.

About the same Frequency of birth of identical twins, when the development of two embryos requires the division of one fertilized egg into two equal parts. In this case, the twins will be like two peas in a pod and they will be of the same gender. According to researchers, for every hundred pregnancies that occur, only one is multiple. Parents of twins can only rejoice at their appearance and accept congratulations.

Causes of multiple pregnancy

So, let's try to take into account the causes of multiple pregnancies. The fact is that with age, women increase the concentration of the hormone FSH, which is responsible for activating the maturation of eggs. That's why cases of simultaneous maturation of two or more eggs are becoming more frequent, which increases the chances of having twins.

Sometimes multiple pregnancies occur after giving up contraceptives that a woman has used for many years. And sometimes she simply undergoes treatment for infertility, takes quite powerful drugs, which give impetus to the increased production of hormones that affect the ovulation process. The probability of having twins in such cases increases several times.

Cases are not uncommon in vitro fertilization, after a woman’s unsuccessful attempts to become pregnant naturally. Doctors intend to implant several fertilized eggs into the expectant mother’s body at once, in the hope that at least one of them will develop into a full-fledged fetus. But it happens that all or several of them take root. If carrying several embryos does not contradict medical indications, then the woman becomes the mother of several children at once.

Sometimes a woman passes hormone therapy courses, which is due to her poor health. A hormonal surge occurs, which provokes the birth of several fetuses at the same time.

Also still inexplicable is the fact that during cataclysms, wars, natural disasters, etc., the number of multiple pregnancies increases. Apparently, wise nature takes care of the normal population in this way.

Hereditary factor

It's no secret that if there have previously been cases of twins in a family, then in this family the probability of having twins increases many times. And it doesn’t matter in whose family, mother or father, there were cases of twins. Therefore, it is worth carefully studying the history of both families. In addition, if a woman has already given birth to two or more children, then the chances of repeating this feat increase significantly.

What to eat to conceive twins

Those who are planning a pregnancy often want to know what to eat to get pregnant with twins? Many people mistakenly think that nutrition has no effect on this process. It turns out that the liver of animals contains a special protein that affects the production of female hormones, and also increases the ability of the embryo to survive in the early stages of development.

This enzyme is called insulin-like growth factor. Thus, when planning a multiple pregnancy, you need to eat more meat and dairy products. Another piece of advice is to try to get pregnant in the summer, because... It is during this period that the activity of sex hormones increases, and meat and milk are most saturated with useful substances.

And finally, watch 2 funny videos about twin babies.

Perhaps every expectant mother at some point thinks: “What if I’m pregnant with twins?”, “What is the probability of giving birth to twins?”

This article will help you figure out what the birth of twins depends on and evaluate your chances of giving the world two charming babies at once.

To begin with, let us clarify that twins are so-called fraternal twins. That is, those born as a result of the fertilization of two separate eggs, in contrast to identical twins, who are born as a result of the division of one fertilized egg into two independent embryos. Identical twins are always alike as two peas in a pod, and fraternal twins can be no more alike than brothers or sisters born at different times.

What factors may contribute to the birth of identical twins is still unknown. But modern science has established the possible reasons for the birth of twins. There are seven main factors that increase the likelihood of conceiving twins.

If you have recently become pregnant and are wondering what your chances of having twins are, then you are probably wondering, what are the signs of having twins? As for your subjective feelings, the presence of a multiple pregnancy may indirectly be indicated by increased toxicosis, weakness, and rapid weight gain. But in fact, you don’t need to know any special signs, because your gynecologist, upon examination, starting from the 6th week of pregnancy, will be able to with a high degree of probability assume the presence of a multiple pregnancy. And already the first ultrasound examination