What are the chances of having twins?

There’s no doubt that having twins is something that’s considered special. When you or someone you know is expecting twins, it’s considered a whole new experience because raising two kids at the same time comes with its own ups and downs.

The topic of having twins still has a lot of questions, myths and misconceptions surrounding it.

We often wonder how the genetics of twins work and whether there are certain things you can do to increase your chances of having twins.

Here is all you need to know about it.

Believe it or not, age has a huge role to pay when it comes to having twins. Studies have discovered that older women or women above 30 are more likely to get twins. The reason behind this is that follicle stimulating hormones are more active during this period compared to younger women. Because of this, conceiving after 30 increases your chances of having twins.

Surprisingly, race also has an effect on your chances of getting twins. Historically, black women have had the highest rates of twin births throughout. White women on the other hand also have a high chance of getting twins but not compared to that of the former. So biologically if you have African roots, you’re more likely to get twins.

This is a tricky one because simply having twins on either side of the family, doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll have twins. Furthermore, it’s the mom’s side that gives an indication of the chances of a twin pregnancy. If it’s the father’s side that has twins, it doesn’t affect much. Also, the presence of fraternal twins in the family increases the chances as compared to the occurrence of identical twins. These genetics are as a result of hyper ovulation where more than one egg is released at a time.

Technology has really improved over the years. There are many breakthroughs that have occurred in the world of fertility. This technology has revolutionized how women conceive and with that, there has been a rise of twin pregnancies in recent years. All you need to do is visit a fertility clinic and undergo various treatments that stimulate more egg production and enable you to get twins if that’s the route you’re interested in.

To date, there are still more studies being done on the topic. There are many factors like diet, height and weight that have been linked to the chances of having twins. Women who are heavier for example, have a higher chance as compared to those who weigh relatively less. Similarly, women who have a high protein diet and consume a lot of dairy are likely to have twins compared to women who are vegan.

The discussion about how height affects your chances is also an interesting topic. Studies have shown that taller women are more likely to have a twin pregnancy.

Generally, you could say that having twins depends both on genetics and certain underlying factors. There are certain steps you can take to increase your chances but if twins already run in your family, as the mother, you might hit the jackpot twice.