Probability Of Having Twins In Pregnancy 

A twin pregnancy announcement opens a mixed bag of emotions for the would-be mom and dad. On the one hand, it doubles a couple's happiness and sense of commitment. While on the other hand, it doubles their apprehensions and the risks to the mother and the twin fetuses.

So, what is the probability of having twins in pregnancy? In India, the rate of having twins is significantly low. The probability of twin pregnancy in the country is around nine twins per 1000 births.

The rate of conceiving twins - Naturally and via IVF

The probability of having twins naturally is good. Nearly 1.2% of all natural births are twin conceptions. However, research shows that the odds of having twins have increased in the past four decades. What is the reason behind this twin-pregnancy bang?

Experts say - fertility treatments, including IVF, and a rise in older mothers, have added to this upsurge.

As already told, there is a 1.2% probability of conceiving twins naturally. However, many factors contribute to a woman's chances of becoming pregnant with twin babies.

Before delving deeper into the topic, it would be a good idea to learn more about twins and their types.

Twin pregnancy - Meaning and types

What does a twin pregnancy mean? It means conceiving two fetuses in the womb. And what are the different types of twins? Twin pregnancies are of two types- identical (monozygotic) and non-identical (dizygotic or fraternal twins).

• In identical twins, the sperm fertilizes only a single egg or zygote. This egg divides into two and becomes identical fetuses with the same DNA. Identical twins look alike and have the same gender -two girls or two boys.

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• While in the case of non-identical twins, a woman produces two eggs simultaneously. Both get fertilized and implanted into the uterus. Non-identical twins may have similar features, but they do not look alike. Most importantly, they may be of the same or different genders - one boy-one girl, two boys, or two girls.

Note: Non-identical twins are more common. Among all the twin pregnancies, the incidence of identical and non-identical twins is one-third and two-thirds, respectively.

Now let us talk about the factors that increase the twin pregnancy probability!

Twin pregnancies - The factors influencing the odds

Many pregnant women ask questions like - how to get twins baby pregnancy naturally, how to know if you will have twins in the future, or how to calculate my chances of having twins?

For an expecting mother, having these queries and concerns is pretty understandable. So, how to get pregnant with twins? Are there any factors that increase the likelihood of getting pregnant with twin babies? Yes! There are several factors that contribute here. These include the following:

• Conceiving through IVF

Women undergoing IVF or other fertility treatments are more likely to develop twins. Yes, the probability of twins with IVF is about 30%. So, why is the IVF twins probability high? Unlike natural pregnancies, where only one egg is released and fertilized, IVF-induced conceptions involve the release of multiple eggs. Many would-be parents look forward to conceiving on the very first attempt. Plus, many of them also wish to have twins. Besides, many IVF specialists also consider transferring two embryos to increase the IVF success rate.

• Genetics

The chances of conceiving non-identical twins are likely to be higher if a woman has non-identical twins in her family. Some genes often predispose a woman to release more than one egg - hyperovulation. In such cases, the probability of conceiving twins naturally is high. Suppose a woman’s sister has non-identical twins. So, the former’s odds to carry non-identical twins increase by 2.5 times.

• Age

There are chances of twins by age naturally. So, being pregnant with twins at 43 years old is possible. A 35-year-old female is four times more susceptible to carrying non-identical twins than otherwise. The reason is - as they are close to menopause, their bodies experience hormonal changes. It can lead to hyperovulation.

• Breastfeeding

Women who become pregnant while breastfeeding are likely to conceive twins. So, why does breastfeeding increase the chance of twins? During breastfeeding, prolactin (lactotropin) and luteinizing hormone (LH) levels tend to surge. The chemistry of these hormones may increase the odds of carrying twins while breastfeeding.

Apart from the factors mentioned above, height, weight, and diet also play a crucial role in increasing twin pregnancy probability.

Final words

Every woman can become pregnant with twins. It's just that in some women, the odds are higher than in others. Most importantly, whether a woman would have twins or not is unpredictable. Everything depends on genetic and environmental factors.

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