TWINS

**AJE** · 06-07-2007, 08:18 AM

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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.

: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:

**AJE** · 06-07-2007, 08:30 AM

Eight Sets Of Twins To Graduate From Same High School

Last Edited: Tuesday, 05 Jun 2007

By The Associated Press

RED BLUFF, Calif. -- Pity the poor teachers who had to sort them out all these years. On Friday, eight sets of twins will graduate from Red Bluff Union High School. The 16 include three sets of identical twins and five pairs of fraternal twins. Four of them are brother-and-sister combinations.

myfoxone

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Where I came from at one time Valders had several sets of twins within years apart. My graduating class had 1 other Identical set with another set of fraternal. Also I few years younger was another set of fraternal twins, which graduated, with my brother. Something must have been in the water to conceive so many multiple births. :?

**AJE** · 06-20-2007, 02:18 PM

2-for-1 is no baby bargain, doctors say
Yet couples struggling to conceive often wish to see double — or more

By Lorie A. Parch
MSNBC.com
June 20, 2007

For couples struggling to conceive a child, news of becoming pregnant with multiples following infertility treatment is often cause for celebration. Some even wish for it.

“I hear that frequently: ‘I want twins. I don’t want to pay for this again.’ The two-birds-with-one-stone thing,” says Dr. Robert Stillman, medical director of Shady Grove Fertility Center in Washington, D.C., and a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Georgetown University School of Medicine. “They see twins in a stroller at Starbucks and think, ‘I’ve been at this for four years. Why not just do this two at a time?’”

But the truth is that having multiples — even twins — comes with significant health risks, and the cost of their care can be staggering.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17937811/

pk · 06-20-2007, 10:58 PM

Oh how I wished so many times that I would have twins. lol

My first baby was almost 7 weeks early and we were so concerned about her that we were just so glad she was ok at birth. Being my first one I didn't think to much about twins but it did cross my mind that 2 would be so fun.

My oldest son, my second baby, at the very end of my term the Dr told me he thought he heard an extra heartbeat and thought another baby was hiding behind the first one. Since I was having a very high risk pregnancy they were very concerned about this. At the end they didn't think my baby or I would live through birth and I was still holding out for twins! Well I didn't get twins but I did get a wonderful healthy baby boy and we both made it through.

I was older when I had my last two babies (against Dr's orders I should add!)...double high risk but I was hoping for twins the whole time. I made it through each of my last two babies (barely) and even though I did not have twins I did have something happen that was just as great...

My oldest daughter was grown by then and had my first grandson 6 months after my youngest son was born! So in a way it was like having twins just one baby was much larger than the other! lol And I mean larger since my grandson was also a premature baby and was quite small and my son was over 9 pounds at birth! lol So I couldn't really play it off that they were twins but we did dress them a like many times when they were much younger.

Now, maybe one of my younger kids will grow up and have twins...lol

pk

**AJE** · 06-28-2007, 09:35 AM

Twins Amber and Misty at 6 months old

Twins today in Florida

Lauri · 07-21-2007, 05:28 PM

Hey, there are my girls!!!!!

No one came to my house without having a fussy baby thrust into their arms!

As a matter of fact, my husband and I didn't eat a hot dinner together for many, many, many, many months. One or the other of us had to jostle both babies to allow the other spouse time to eat. We had a baby backpack that worked well for one carrying a baby and the other child we bounced on our leg! :roll:

pk · 07-21-2007, 10:10 PM

Wow! First I welcomed you in the intro thinking you were new..then I discovered that you put on a really great tip in the forum on plants back in Mar 09, 2006... and now the added surprise that you are Amber's Mom! How wonderful to have you here. Hope you continue to post in the future.

And I have to add how blessed you were to have twins! I always wanted to have twins but it just did not happen. But I did get my youngest son and my grandson 6 months apart! (they are now 11 1/2 and 12)! That is close to having twins! lol

pk

**AJE** · 03-05-2008, 03:27 PM

Woman gives birth to identical in-vitro triplets

MANHASSET, N.Y. (AP) -- When they get older, Logan, Eli and Collin Penn may blanch at the notion they wore nail polish to their first news conference. But it's the only way their parents know how to tell the boys apart right now.

The identical triplets were born Wednesday at North Shore University Hospital on Long Island -- an event so rare that an obstetrician estimated it might happen just once in 200 million births.

Woman gives birth to identical in-vitro triplets - CNN.com