View Full Version : Top 10 Ways to Increase Your Chances of Having Twins
Tahiyah
08-10-06, 07:01 AM
Your Guide to Parenting of Multiples.
Many people wonder what it takes to have twins, triplets or more. While having multiples is a gift and a blessing, there are some common factors that increase the chances of conceiving twins. Think you want to have twins or more? Here's how.
1) Have a History
Do twins run in your family? If you have a mother, brother, sister, uncle or long lost cousin with multiples, you may wonder if you'll have them too. Sometimes twinning is hereditary, it's true. However, only fraternal (dizygotic twins are influenced by heredity, and then only in some cases. If your mother or maternal grandmother was or had fraternal twins, you might have inherited a gene for hyperovulation, increasing your chances of conceiving twins also.
2) Grow or Gain Weight
A recent study published by the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology correlates the rise in multiple birth rates with rising rates of obesity. Research found that mothers with a BMI (Body Mass Index) of 30 or higer were significantly more likely to have twins. Again, this statistic only holds true for fraternal (dizygotic) twins. The research also showed that women of above-average height were also more likely to have multiples.
3) Wait Until You're Older
Older mothers are more likely to conceive twins than their younger counterparts. It's thought that the body accelerates ovulation as the biological clock starts ticking faster. Seventeen percent of mothers over age 45 have multiples. Wait five more years and the odds rise to one in nine!
4) Have More Twins
Once you have had a multiple pregnancy, you are significantly more likely to conceive -- and deliver -- twins again! Some estimates suggest that mothers of twins are four times more likely to have twins again than a woman who has never been pregnant, or who only had a singleton.
5) Diet: Yams & Dairy
No one is quite sure why, but the Yoruba tribe in West Africa has the highest rate of twinning in the world. A study concluded that the mother's diet was the cause, being high in cassava, a type of yam or sweet potato. The peelings of this vegetable are thought to contain a chemical that causes hyperovulation. In addition, a 2006 study found that women who consume dairy are five times as likely to have twins.
6) Seek Fertility Assistance
Reproductive technology has dramatically increased the multiple birth rate. Drugs that stimualate ovulation can lead to a multiple pregnancy, but multiples can also result from invitro fertilization. It's not just that multiple embryos are implanted in the mother, but there is also an unexplained increase in the number of monozygotic twins among IVF patients. No ethical doctor would provide treatment if it wasn't warranted, so fertility assistance should only be sought out when necessary.
7) Have A Big Family
The more kids you have, the more likely you are to conceive twins in a subsequent pregnancy. No one knows the magic limit that triggers a multiple pregnancy, so you'll just have to keep trying until it happens.
8) Conceive While Breastfeeding
Most people think that you can't get pregnant while breastfeeding, that the process of lactating keeps a woman from ovulating. However, plenty of mothers of twins can disprove that theory. Some research has supported the theory that the chance of twins or multiples is increased if a woman conceives while breastfeeding.
9) Get Pregnant On the Pill
Birth control pills are usually thought to be 99.9 percent effective at preventing pregnancy. However, that .01 percent often results in a double whammy -- multiples. Sometimes pregnancy occurs when the pill isn't taken consistently; in other cases, the hormonal mix of a particular drug type simply doesn't provide enough coverage to completely prevent ovulation. In either case, playing around with hormones can lead to hyperovulation, increasing the chances of multiples.
10) Just Get Lucky!
Many parents of multiples don't meet any of the classic criteria, yet find themselves doubly blessed. Monozygotic twins are particularly mysterious; no one is exactly certain what causes an egg to split after conception, producing identical twins. The bottom line is that there truly isn't a whole lot an individual can do to influence their chances of having twins; sometimes you just get lucky!
Why did you have twins?
What's your theory? What do you think causes a person to have twins? Tell me about your family's story.
Tahiyah
08-10-06, 07:03 AM
Why did you have twins?
What's your theory? What do you think causes a person to have twins? Tell me about your family's story.
tonight at the masjid i was talking with a sis who wants to have twins so bad, she is praying to be blessed with twins. anyone else like that? i thought it was kinda funny.
my first pregnacy was twins, i didnt pray or ask for them, but i sure got em. i dont think any of the above had anything to do with me having twins, altho my doc did tell me, once you have twins, you have a high chance of having them again.
scribble
08-10-06, 10:12 AM
Hmm.... Might just use this when I get older. :p
I love twins, they're ever so cute and eatable. :D
ur_yusra
08-10-06, 02:04 PM
I don't think I want twins.
Double trouble :p
Allah (swt) knows best. :)
Al-Irhaab
08-10-06, 02:07 PM
3) Wait Until You're Older
Older mothers are more likely to conceive twins than their younger counterparts. It's thought that the body accelerates ovulation as the biological clock starts ticking faster. Seventeen percent of mothers over age 45 have multiples. Wait five more years and the odds rise to one in nine!
.
one in nine is less than seventeen percent so if u wait till 50 ur less likely than 45 :torture:
Al Qadr
08-10-06, 02:08 PM
1) Have a History
Do twins run in your family? If you have a mother, brother, sister, uncle or long lost cousin with multiples, you may wonder if you'll have them too. Sometimes twinning is hereditary, it's true. However, only fraternal (dizygotic twins are influenced by heredity, and then only in some cases. If your mother or maternal grandmother was or had fraternal twins, you might have inherited a gene for hyperovulation, increasing your chances of conceiving twins also.
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*Is a twin* :D :outta:
Twins are soooooooo cute mashallah :inlove:
Matching clothes :p
Allah (swt) blessed my cousin last year with twins, boy and girl, first set in our family. Absolutely adorable beyond words mashallah :inlove:
ur_yusra
08-10-06, 02:28 PM
Twins are soooooooo cute mashallah :inlove:
Matching clothes :p
Allah (swt) blessed my cousin last year with twins, boy and girl, first set in our family. Absolutely adorable beyond words mashallah :inlove:
awww masha'Allah :love:
arghhh dont remind me
i have twins living next door to me, they around 2 years old both girls
and they were crying till 3am last night, and they both cry at the same time and it was driving me mad :torture:
Tahiyah
08-10-06, 06:50 PM
arghhh dont remind me
i have twins living next door to me, they around 2 years old both girls
and they were crying till 3am last night, and they both cry at the same time and it was driving me mad :torture:
awww, poor MMS...:D i remember when both of mine would cry during the night, i always worried it was disturbing the neighbors
Tahiyah sis, you have twins!!!??? Mashallah :D
Was it hard handling two???? :$
Al-Nasser
08-10-06, 06:54 PM
does anyone know if there was twins in the time of the prophet :saw:??
i mean among the sahaba
tahiyah u got twin boys or gils , or one of both? i llooooovvveeeee twins!!
my uncle was a twin and my second cousin gave birth to twins, boy and girl :)
i would luurrvve to have twins, but allah swt knows best so we should eb happy with wat we have, especially as we have so many around us who cant conceive :(
Nusayba
08-10-06, 07:07 PM
does anyone know if there was twins in the time of the prophet :saw:??
i mean among the sahaba
I havent come across it yet, but its worth looking into it.....
My fathers family have alot of twins. In total there were 8 twins, 3 triplets, 2 twins and other two 2's. SubhanaAllah None of them ever survived after the age of 4. My family believe that it was the evil eye, Allah knows best. They were very healthy but they died naturally.
My father is the only one who survived (the only man). They were all boys the ones who died.
So there are chances that I might get twins:love: InshaAllah
Hmm.... Might just use this when I get older. :p
I love twins, they're ever so cute and eatable. :D
lol, you sound a bit like my sister!
but her mouth starts watering when she sees babies! :D
Tahiyah
08-10-06, 07:11 PM
tahiyah u got twin boys or gils , or one of both? i llooooovvveeeee twins!!
my uncle was a twin and my second cousin gave birth to twins, boy and girl :)
i would luurrvve to have twins, but allah swt knows best so we should eb happy with wat we have, especially as we have so many around us who cant conceive :(
boy and girl
when i was in labor a group of med students in the hospital came in and asked me if they could watch the birth :rubeyes:
scribble
08-10-06, 07:13 PM
boy and girl
when i was in labor a group of med students in the hospital came in and asked me if they could watch the birth :rubeyes:
And your response was?
Tahiyah
08-10-06, 07:14 PM
And your response was?
will you still respect me ? :D
scribble
08-10-06, 07:15 PM
will you still respect me ? :D
That was your response? Or was that a question to me? :p
boy and girl
when i was in labor a group of med students in the hospital came in and asked me if they could watch the birth :rubeyes:
euuuww that is jus nasty !
anytime they mentions students to me, it was a straight no
Tahiyah
08-10-06, 07:24 PM
That was your response? Or was that a question to me? :p
:rofl1: you soo get reps for making me laugh. and that was my response to you!
yes, i allowed them to observe. i had a good friend who was doing his residency there and i would NOT allow him in, even tho he wanted to be there, i told him to take a hike. there were a few female students and one girl i think was more excited then me and my family.
she told me it was her first twin birth, i said oh yeah? me too.
anyhow i was about 15 hrs into labor when they asked me, i wasnt really thinking all that much about modesty at that point
scribble
08-10-06, 07:38 PM
:rofl1: you soo get reps for making me laugh. and that was my response to you!
yes, i allowed them to observe. i had a good friend who was doing his residency there and i would NOT allow him in, even tho he wanted to be there, i told him to take a hike. there were a few female students and one girl i think was more excited then me and my family.
she told me it was her first twin birth, i said oh yeah? me too.
anyhow i was about 15 hrs into labor when they asked me, i wasnt really thinking all that much about modesty at that point
:p Jazakallah for the reps. :p
That's interesting, the girl saying that... Hmm.... :rofl:
Tahiyah
10-10-06, 03:45 AM
Tahiyah sis, you have twins!!!??? Mashallah :D
Was it hard handling two???? :$
when they were infants it was tough for awhile...but i was lucky enough to have my mom and sister help me out from time to time
funny ya know, so many people use to say to me, gosh isnt it hard with two..etc. and i use to see them running all around chasing after one. once mine started walking, they really were not that hard at all.. they played with each other all the time and were not so demanding of that one on one with me.
i enjoyed twins toddlers, they were a blast. twin teens, now thats a different story :rolleyes:
When my son and daughter were tiny they had their own language. When they started school, the teachers wanted to split them up because they would only play together. To this day they are incredibly close and although my daughter lives here and he's in Calgary, they still talk almost daily
Tahiyah
10-10-06, 04:49 AM
When my son and daughter were tiny they had their own language. When they started school, the teachers wanted to split them up because they would only play together. To this day they are incredibly close and although my daughter lives here and he's in Calgary, they still talk almost daily
you have twins?
2-20 year olds
My daughter that got married last Aug and my son, who's going to be a dad too in another 6 months or so.
Funny thing though, he's dark haired and dark skinned, she's very paleskinned with lightbrown hair
muslim_sis
10-10-06, 09:49 AM
When my son and daughter were tiny they had their own language. When they started school, the teachers wanted to split them up because they would only play together. To this day they are incredibly close and although my daughter lives here and he's in Calgary, they still talk almost daily
aww mashallah
i think twins are cute ! i've noticed with the people i know with twins , there is always a difficult one and an easier one. subhanallah , but they all still cutey wutey mashallah !
my maternal grandma had twins [but they passed away]..so who knows..lol
.: Anna :.
10-10-06, 02:07 PM
I'm a twin :D my mum has twin bros and sis aswell, and she was told that she was a twin but the other one died in the womb :s allahu alam... we hav looooads of twins in the family tree on both my mum and dads sides, but not on my hubbys side. Insha allah I wd like 2 hav some :D but probs not for the first birth cos thats too hard. My cousin's cousin had that, and b4 they were born she was really anxious how she was gna cope.
Lol Muslim sis that mite b tru... I think I was the difficult, my sis the easy one :p
muslim_sis
10-10-06, 02:52 PM
Lol Muslim sis that mite b tru... I think I was the difficult, my sis the easy one :p
lol yet another twin to prove my ''theory'' ... i think its a mercy from Allah !
Tahiyah
11-10-06, 12:02 AM
I'm a twin :D my mum has twin bros and sis aswell, and she was told that she was a twin but the other one died in the womb :s allahu alam... we hav looooads of twins in the family tree on both my mum and dads sides, but not on my hubbys side. Insha allah I wd like 2 hav some :D but probs not for the first birth cos thats too hard. My cousin's cousin had that, and b4 they were born she was really anxious how she was gna cope.
Lol Muslim sis that mite b tru... I think I was the difficult, my sis the easy one :p
oh dear, start rubbing tons of cream on your belly now, cocoa butter and all that....looks like you might be having two! :D (allahu'alim)
MangoChutney
11-10-06, 03:34 AM
it's the husband's reaction you gotta catch when u say ur having "twins"...lol
Tahiyah
11-10-06, 05:04 AM
it's the husband's reaction you gotta catch when u say ur having "twins"...lol
to true. i called their dad at work to tell him, and he just got real quiet...and said twiinnnss? and i said yup. he said..ok. and hung up. and then he called me back and said, did you just call me and tell me we are having twins?
MangoChutney
11-10-06, 05:30 AM
:D
to true. i called their dad at work to tell him, and he just got real quiet...and said twiinnnss? and i said yup. he said..ok. and hung up. and then he called me back and said, did you just call me and tell me we are having twins?
:D
:D
to true. i called their dad at work to tell him, and he just got real quiet...and said twiinnnss? and i said yup. he said..ok. and hung up. and then he called me back and said, did you just call me and tell me we are having twins?
:rofl1:
That is too good, did he need smelling salts?
MangoChutney
11-10-06, 05:51 AM
I'm curiou to know why do men get nervous? what are they thinking tht makes them so nervous....i mean...i'd understnd the lady's point of view...she has to give birth and suffer the consequences :p ..but men?....:scratch:
Tahiyah
11-10-06, 05:57 AM
I'm curiou to know why do men get nervous? what are they thinking tht makes them so nervous....i mean...i'd understnd the lady's point of view...she has to give birth and suffer the consequences :p ..but men?....:scratch:
hmmm, must be the diapers, clothing, formula, crib, bottles, etc. etc etc
oh and that whole time to grow up, loss of freedom thing too
The first thing that ran through my head when I heard about twins was, "Do I need to get another job?"
muslim_sis
11-10-06, 10:11 AM
to true. i called their dad at work to tell him, and he just got real quiet...and said twiinnnss? and i said yup. he said..ok. and hung up. and then he called me back and said, did you just call me and tell me we are having twins?
lol, thats funny ...but like mangochut said , i think women need to be more worried [coz of what they have to go thru] , not the men ...
lol, thats funny ...but like mangochut said , i think women need to be more worried [coz of what they have to go thru] , not the men ...
Don't be handing me that. We men have to put up with a lot of abuse too. You women are clinically insane for 9 months. I'll give you a true example
Me: Hi honey, I'm home
Wife: DON'T YOU TALK TO ME LIKE THAT!!!!!! LOOK AT WHAT YOU DID TO ME!!!!!! I USED TO BE THIN BUT NOW I'M FAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTTTT WAAAAAAGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
um ok...I'm going out for dinner :outta:
Tahiyah
12-10-06, 06:46 AM
Don't be handing me that. We men have to put up with a lot of abuse too. You women are clinically insane for 9 months. I'll give you a true example
Me: Hi honey, I'm home
Wife: DON'T YOU TALK TO ME LIKE THAT!!!!!! LOOK AT WHAT YOU DID TO ME!!!!!! I USED TO BE THIN BUT NOW I'M FAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTTTT WAAAAAAGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
um ok...I'm going out for dinner :outta:
awww...your poor wife. :D
i dont like to scream out loud when in pain. i have to bite on something, and during labor i would have a cold rag to bite down on during a contraction. well, my husband was holding my hand during one, and i bit down really way to hard on his hand, he was begging me to let it go. i couldnt until the contraction passed.
yeah... he had to go take a walk at that point..
awww...your poor wife. :D
i dont like to scream out loud when in pain. i have to bite on something, and during labor i would have a cold rag to bite down on during a contraction. well, my husband was holding my hand during one, and i bit down really way to hard on his hand, he was begging me to let it go. i couldnt until the contraction passed.
yeah... he had to go take a walk at that point..
Don't get me started about labour...that was just an ordinary day. The labour room, was a jeckle/hyde experience. She went from making truckers blush with her language to cooing, "oh it's soo beautiful" in 30 seconds :D
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