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Two car seats, two jackets, two security blankets and two babies. No, you're not seeing double – they're twins. Take a look around a restaurant, a daycare or a pediatrician's office, and you may just see two children who look exactly alike. You may also see two children of the same age, perhaps of the opposite sex, who are dressed in the same colors or style. Are they twins, too? With one out of every 80 births being twins, they just may be. Hello, Names Amber and I have an Identical Twin sister named Misty.
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:wink:
So what are the rare gems of twins:
There are several "types" of twins, but the two most common are fraternal and identical.
Fraternal Twins
Fraternal twins – medically termed as dizygotic twins – occur when two offspring are born of the same pregnancy and develop from
two separate ova that were released from the ovary and fertilized at the same time. Fraternal twins may be of the same or opposite sex and will differ genetically as well as in appearance.
The occurrence of fraternal twins varies, and there are several factors that contribute to the presence of these twins, including ethnic origin and maternal age. The highest occurrence of fraternal twins is found in black women, while the lowest is found in Asian women. Women between the ages of 35 to 39 tend to give birth to fraternal twins twice as many times as those not within this age group.
Identical Twins
Identical twins – medically termed as monozygotic twins – occur when an ovum splits into equal halves during early embryonic development, resulting in two offspring of the same pregnancy. Identical twins are always of the same sex, have the same genetic makeup, possess identical blood groups and will resemble each other physically. Unlike fraternal twins, identical twins occur equally in all races and age groups.
Misty and I look so much alike and talk alike that even our closest friends can't tell us apart at times. Sometimes not even our family can decipher the voices.
Other Twin Types
In addition to fraternal and identical twins, other types of twins may present themselves as well. These types are conjoined twins.
Conjoined twins are identical twins who did not completely separate during fetal development, and the offspring remain attached to each other and may even share body parts or organs.
The Role of Genetics
'Do twins run in the family?' Yes & Maybe
:arrow: So what part does heredity play in the development of twins? Depending upon the type of twin. The twins that run in families are fraternal twins. As some women naturally ovulate more than one egg per month, this trait tends to run in families. However, identical twins coming from the same egg don't have any concrete link between a genetic inheritance.
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So the next time you see parents walking with their twins in a stroller or cooing at them while shopping. Make sure to send your condolences to the parents its tough enough raising one baby much less two. Trust Me! :lol:
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