THE HOUSE OF WILLIAMS: Facts and Trivia about Twins

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The biggest shocker and blessing of my life

- Identical (monozygotic) twins/triplets are the result of a single egg splitting after conception. These twins will share 100% of their DNA. They are the same sex. have the same blood types. hair and eye color. hand and footprints and chromosomes, yet have different teeth marks and fingerprints. Environmental influences can determine that characteristics such as height. weight. ears. nose. lips are somewhat different. Some monozygotic multiples are told they are fraternal (dizygotic) - only DNA testing provides conclusive results.
(mine are for sure identical-one placenta Mo-Di identicals)

- Monochorionic and diamniotic - These identical twins share 1 placenta (monochorionic) but develop 2 separate fluid sacs (diamniotic). This is the most common type, accounting for around 75% of identical twin pregnancies and happens if the split occurs between days 3 and 8 after conception.

- 82% of multiples are delivered via c-section, while 5% are delivered vaginally. The rest are delivered both by c-section and vaginally. (I’m that 5%- I was the talk of the Maternity floor and my OBGYN’s office for pushing both those girls out of my "WhoHa"- what a great way to be memorable, right?)

- about 25% of identical twins are called mirror image twins. For example if one has a mole under her right eye, the other will have it under her left eye.

- Monozygotic twins must be the same sex because they have the same genetic makeup. There is a one in four billion chance that after the egg splits, one fetus will lose a sex chromosome and this results in a normal XY male and a Turner’s syndrome female (XO). This has happened once this century and so is unlikely to happen again anytime soon.

- The average weight of twins at term is about 5.5 lbs (Caroline was 6.1 lbs and Stella 6.3lbs)

and the average or recommended weight gain for average sized mothers of twins is between 35-45 lbs. ( I gained 42lbs at my last weigh in ) Twin pregnancy is considered full term at 36 weeks and 3 days. (I was 36 wks & 6 days)

- There are3.5 sets of identical twins per 1000 births. You have a 1 in 285 chance of having identical twins. This figure seems to be universal and random.

- Studies have shown that mothers who gain about 24 pounds by week 24 have reduced their chances of giving birth either prematurely or to low birth-weight babies.

- Women pregnant with twins will have more ultrasounds, tests and prenatal appointments than women pregnant with singletons. ( I had sonograms monthly and at the end weekly)

- Fraternal twins (girls) have twice the chance of giving birth to twins than singletons.

- 22% of Twins are left handed where as in singletons only 10% of them are left handed.

- Heteropaternal Superfecundation is the term used when a woman becomes pregnant from two different man and gives birth to fraternal twins. (naughty naughty ladies!)

- Gemellology is term use for the scientific study of Twins(Use that in the next game of Scrabble you play and impress people)!

- The highest rate of twinning belongs to the Yoruba Tribe of Nigeria and the lowest rate belongs to

China

- Quarternary Marriage is the term used when one set of twins marries a second set of twins. In case of identical twins marrying identical twins, genetically speaking their children will be more than cousins, they will be genetic siblings. (pretty wild! Imagine Caroline and Stella marrying identicals)

- On December 31, 2009 a mother of twins gave birth to one set of identical twin boys at 11:59 and the other one on January 1, 2010 at 12:00 am. (That’s what I wanted, mine were born January 7, 2010)

- Just like married couples, your twins spend so much time together that they may develop particular “code words” that they use to communicate. For instance, if one calls his blanket a “bubby,” the other may soon follow suit. But this tendency, called “idioglossia” or “cryptophasia,” can’t be classified as a separate language. Just like singletons, when twins first start talking, they have trouble pronouncing certain words. As they pick up each other’s habits of saying things, they develop their own “secret code.” But as their speaking skills improve, the “twin language” will disappear.

- One can also have Half Identical Twins (Polar Body Twinning). These twins occur when the mother's egg splits before fertilization and then each half is then fertilized by a sperm. These twins share 75% of their DNA.

-   Identical twins exhibit almost identical brain wave patterns. (how cool is that) and genetic factors do not have much, if any, affect on the incidence of identical twins. Identical twins do not run in families.
-   It's also a myth that fraternal twins skip a generation.
-   There are 7 different types of twins: identical, fraternal, half-identical, mirror image twins, mixed chromosome twins, superfecundation, and superfetation. These other types are very rare

- 56% of all twin births are spontaneous (that's for SURE!)