Do twins "run" in your family?

[Hudson_Hawk]

The thread about designer babies that diverged into the Hollywood multiples boom has me thinking. Do any of you have a history of twins in your family? I''ve heard that twins can "run" in families and often times, if the father''s mother was a twin, the father and his SO will be more likely to have twins (kindof like makle patterned baldnes). Is this true? FI''s mom has an identical twin and we no nothing about the family past her parents generation, so we don''t know if there were other twins...it would be nice to know if this were a natural possibility. I''d be thrilled to have twins, two for the price of one! (kidding here).

 

[E B]

Date: 3/4/2009 12:19:00 PM
Author:Hudson_Hawk
The thread about designer babies that diverged into the Hollywood multiples boom has me thinking. Do any of you have a history of twins in your family? I've heard that twins can 'run' in families and often times, if the father's mother was a twin, the father and his SO will be more likely to have twins (kindof like makle patterned baldnes). Is this true? FI's mom has an identical twin and we no nothing about the family past her parents generation, so we don't know if there were other twins...it would be nice to know if this were a natural possibility. I'd be thrilled to have twins, two for the price of one! (kidding here).

From what I understand, the chance of having twins has nothing to do with the father's side. Fraternal twins occur when a woman releases more than one egg during ovulation, and she may have inherited this from her mother or her mother's mother (and so on). With identical twins, the split is completely random and can happen to anyone.

(Someone please correct me if I'm wrong!)

 

[neatfreak]

No we don''t, but I sure know a lot about it!

First, as far as anyone knows only fraternal twins run in families. And it only runs on the woman''s side, so it isn''t like male pattern baldness. The reason it "runs" in families is actually because the ability to release two eggs at once is an inherited trait for women.

As far as anyone knows there is no hereditary component to identical twins, but it hasn''t been ruled out yet.

 

[E B]

As for me, twins *may* run in my family. My grandmother had twin boys but they died shortly after birth, and I''m not sure if they were identical or fraternal. There are no other twins on my mother''s side that I know of.

Weirdly enough, though identical twins are supposed to be random, I have a friend with an identical twin and I believe his mom is also an identical twin. What are the chances?

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 3/4/2009 12:25:42 PM
Author: EBree
Weirdly enough, though identical twins are supposed to be random, I have a friend with an identical twin and I believe his mom is also an identical twin. What are the chances?

It's situations like those that make scientists think that there might be a connection somewhere...but realistically the chances aren't that small. If you assume that both are independent events then it's bound to happen fairly frequently when you think about it, identical twins are rare but not THAT rare. So if a mom has ID twins and her daughter has ID twins the mom's twins didn't affect the daughter's chances of having twins, it just happened.

It's like if you have 5 friends that have boys it doesn't change your individual chances of having a boy, just the perception.

 

[E B]

Date: 3/4/2009 12:28:12 PM
Author: neatfreak

Date: 3/4/2009 12:25:42 PM

Author: EBree

Weirdly enough, though identical twins are supposed to be random, I have a friend with an identical twin and I believe his mom is also an identical twin. What are the chances?

It''s situations like those that make scientists think that there might be a connection somewhere...but realistically the chances aren''t that small. If you assume that both are independent events then it''s bound to happen fairly frequently when you think about it, identical twins are rare but not THAT rare. So if a mom has ID twins and her daughter has ID twins the mom''s twins didn''t affect the daughter''s chances of having twins, it just happened.

It''s like if you have 5 friends that have boys it doesn''t change your individual chances of having a boy, just the perception.

I see! Very true.

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 3/4/2009 12:33:30 PM
Author: EBree

Date: 3/4/2009 12:28:12 PM

Author: neatfreak

Date: 3/4/2009 12:25:42 PM


Author: EBree


Weirdly enough, though identical twins are supposed to be random, I have a friend with an identical twin and I believe his mom is also an identical twin. What are the chances?

It''s situations like those that make scientists think that there might be a connection somewhere...but realistically the chances aren''t that small. If you assume that both are independent events then it''s bound to happen fairly frequently when you think about it, identical twins are rare but not THAT rare. So if a mom has ID twins and her daughter has ID twins the mom''s twins didn''t affect the daughter''s chances of having twins, it just happened.


It''s like if you have 5 friends that have boys it doesn''t change your individual chances of having a boy, just the perception.

I see! Very true.

Hehe, sorry. Stats nerd with twins here.

 

[E B]

Date: 3/4/2009 12:36:10 PM
Author: neatfreak

Hehe, sorry. Stats nerd with twins here.

No worries- I find it all pretty fascinating!

 

[Maisie]

I am a carrier of Fragile X Syndrome. I have an increased likelihood of twin pregnancy. There were no twins in either families till I had James and his sister who didn''t survive the pregnancy.

Approximately 1 in 4000 males and 1 in 6000 females have fragile X full mutation. That might explain people having twins where there are none in the family.

 

[mela lu]

Very Cool info about Fragile X, Masie! Great insight.
I remember your story. We discussed it around the time Indy lost her identical twins. My heart goes out to you now, and in your "future endeavors".

I come from a very rich line of Fraternal twins on my Mom''s side. I''ve had two pregnancies (one of which ended in m/c) and both were Singleton s. Everytime a female on my mom''s side gets pregnant, we brace ourselves for twins.

My Mom''s Grandmother had...wait for it...3 SETS of twins!!! This dates back to rural Italy when it was common to have lots of kids; as many dies of childhood illnesses. NUTS. My Mom''s sister and cousin both had twins.

Ironically, I married a twin (which has no bearing on our chances of having twins). It''s just funny.

 

[elrohwen]

Not in my family, but they run in my group of friends! At a dinner of 12 people, two of those twelve were identical twins and two others had an identical twin (who weren''t there). So 4 twins out of 12. None of them have kids of their own, but next time I see them I''ll have to ask if there are other sets of twins in their families.

 

[Bia]

My paternal grandmother''s brothers (or my great uncles) are twins. Other than that, not that I know of.

 

[InLuv101]

Not in my family...my brother has twin girls but they are identical and cutie pies, lol!

 

[fleur-de-lis]

I have multiple instances of identical twins on one side, and triplets on the other.

I fear one day that I will look like Octo-mom.

 

[elrohwen]

Date: 3/4/2009 1:53:33 PM
Author: fleur-de-lis
I have multiple instances of identical twins on one side, and triplets on the other.

I fear one day that I will look like Octo-mom.

LMAO! Is there a "shields eyes" emotie?

 

[Bia]

that photo turns my stomach.

 

[April20]

Date: 3/4/2009 1:53:33 PM
Author: fleur-de-lis
I have multiple instances of identical twins on one side, and triplets on the other.

I fear one day that I will look like Octo-mom.

I think I just threw up in my mouth.

 

[Haven]

Can we put a warning about that picture on this thread? Ugh, is that bad.

Anyway . . . fraternal twins run in my family, if that''s even possible. My maternal grandmother is a fraternal twin, and each generation before hers had at least one set of fraternal twins in it, as well.

Since my grandmother, however, we haven''t had any fraternal twins. My mom''s brother has a set of identical twins (natural, no fertility treatment,) but that''s it! My grandmother was forced to have an illegal abortion before she was allowed to flee from Nazi Germany, so she had a lot of problems carrying full-term after that, so who knows, maybe she would have had a set of fraternal twins, herself.

The big joke in the family is that I''m going to have quads because the twins skipped a generation.

 

[musey]

They definitely don''t run in my family... I don''t know of any even extended to great-grandparents and third cousins. I would love some twinnies

but I very much doubt they are in my future!

 

[LAJennifer]

My grandmother, on my mother''s side, had 13 children. Her last two pregnancies were twins. The first - fraternal girls. The second - a boy and a girl. My mother is convinced that I''ll get them.

 

[zhuzhu]

For anyone interested, here is a comprehensive presentation on the biology and epidemiology of twinning.
http://eebweb.arizona.edu/courses/ecol223/ECOL223%203-22%20post.pdf

 

[Feralpenchant]

My grandmother is an identical twin. I''m glad that doesn''t run in the family, because I don''t want a 2 for 1 deal, especially not on my first try. I think I''d die.

 

[Deelight]

There are no surviving twins in my family but yes they do run in my family on my mum''s side, my grandmother, my sister and possibly my mother (can''t confirm that one) all had twins but miscarried or died shortly after birth.

So I figure chances are I could have twins which is okay with me because I would love to and have always wanted them .

 

[Pandora II]

I have fraternal twins in the family on my mother''s side.

I''m also tall and over-35, both of which increase your chances of having twins.

The first thing I asked at my first u/s was please tell me that there is only one!

 

[Deelight]

Date: 3/5/2009 6:49:20 AM
Author: Pandora II
I have fraternal twins in the family on my mother''s side.


I''m also tall and over-35, both of which increase your chances of having twins.


The first thing I asked at my first u/s was please tell me that there is only one!

Just curious how does those two factors increase your chances?

 

[Pandora II]

Date: 3/5/2009 7:02:56 AM
Author: Deelight

Date: 3/5/2009 6:49:20 AM
Author: Pandora II
I have fraternal twins in the family on my mother''s side.


I''m also tall and over-35, both of which increase your chances of having twins.


The first thing I asked at my first u/s was please tell me that there is only one!

Just curious how does those two factors increase your chances?

Over 35 is because you are more likely to release two eggs rather than one. The risk increases progressively from 35 onwards.

On the height thing, taller women produce greater levels of IGF - Insulin-like Growth Factor which increases the sensitivity of the ovaries to FSH and increases ovulation.

Higher BMI and eating animal products - meat, dairy etc also increase the risk.

 

[Deelight]

Date: 3/5/2009 7:18:45 AM
Author: Pandora II

Date: 3/5/2009 7:02:56 AM

Author: Deelight

Date: 3/5/2009 6:49:20 AM

Author: Pandora II

I have fraternal twins in the family on my mother''s side.



I''m also tall and over-35, both of which increase your chances of having twins.



The first thing I asked at my first u/s was please tell me that there is only one!

Just curious how does those two factors increase your chances?

Over 35 is because you are more likely to release two eggs rather than one. The risk increases progressively from 35 onwards.


On the height thing, taller women produce greater levels of IGF - Insulin-like Growth Factor which increases the sensitivity of the ovaries to FSH and increases ovulation.


Higher BMI and eating animal products - meat, dairy etc also increase the risk.

Thanks for explaining Pandora that''s really interesting, hrmmm I am the mutant tall person (5''10) in my family so who knows what will happen .

 

[Miranda]

Lovely Octomom picture! Thanks for that...

Yes, twins run in my family. And yes, that''s why we stopped at three. There''s a big difference between 3 and 5 kids.

 

[fleur-de-lis]

Date: 3/5/2009 7:25:38 AM
Author: Deelight

Date: 3/5/2009 7:18:45 AM

Author: Pandora II

Date: 3/5/2009 7:02:56 AM


Author: Deelight

Date: 3/5/2009 6:49:20 AM


Author: Pandora II


I have fraternal twins in the family on my mother's side.




I'm also tall and over-35, both of which increase your chances of having twins.




The first thing I asked at my first u/s was please tell me that there is only one!

Just curious how does those two factors increase your chances?

Over 35 is because you are more likely to release two eggs rather than one. The risk increases progressively from 35 onwards.



On the height thing, taller women produce greater levels of IGF - Insulin-like Growth Factor which increases the sensitivity of the ovaries to FSH and increases ovulation.



Higher BMI and eating animal products - meat, dairy etc also increase the risk.

Thanks for explaining Pandora that's really interesting, hrmmm I am the mutant tall person (5'10) in my family so who knows what will happen .

Oh, great, I'm 5'10" too. Deelight, it sounds like you and I are TOAST.

I don't know if I can handle paparazzi taking photos of me while I'm getting manicures in the hopes that my pretty, pretty nails will take some focus away from my stretched-out, deflated, elephantine belly.

Oh, god, I'm going to be known as "Novo-mom" on TMZ, aren't I??????

 

[ellaila]

Actually, according to "When You''re Expecting Twins, Triplets, or Quads," ... the tendency to produce more than one egg "runs in families, and you can inherit the trait through either your mother''s or your father''s side of the family." So having twins on your father''s side DOES count. Having twins in your husband''s side doesn''t though, as obviously that''s not going to make you drop any more eggs!

And one thing to take into consideration for people who say that twins don''t run in their families is that often in the early weeks of a multiple pregnancy, one of the fetuses "vanishes." Nowadays with such ultrasounds, people know very early on in their pregnancy if they''ve got more than one baby in there, but years ago the technology didn''t allow for that so I''m sure that many pregnancy started off as multiples but maybe wound up being singletons without the mother ever even knowing she had more than one in there in the beginning. Something to think about!