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Author:
Amar Kirale
- >> Post Created: December 22, 2020
- >> Last Updated: November 5, 2024
Medically Reviewed by: Dr. Veena Shinde (M.D, D.G.O, PG – Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) from Warick, UK) Mumbai, India
How to have Twins - Table of Contents
People across the world are fascinated with twins and multiples. So it is natural for many parents to wish for one.
But this desire of increasing your chances of having twins can lead you down a path of a lot of misinformation. So even before I proceed to answer your question of “How to have twins,” I want to make it clear that there is no sure-shot way that can make you pregnant with twins. All you can do is increase your chances of having twins by a little.
Even if you do everything that should ideally increase your chances of having twins, it is still like a lottery in which you may not win the twin jackpot.
So answering the question “How to have twins” is not easy, as there is no certain way, but we have listed all the known ways that can increase your chances of having twins.
May the odds be ever in your favor!!
How are twins born?
Before we dive into the ways of increasing your chances of having twins and answering the question “how to have twins,” we need to answer an even more basic question, “how are twins born?”
Twins can be born in two ways:
- Monozygotic twins
- Dizygotic twins
Below diagram gives brief preview of both the type of twins. For much more detailed information on this you can visit Types of Twins
How common are twins?
Before we dive into how to have twins lets look at some statistical data to understand your chances.
Twins are a lot more common now than they were in the past. As per the CDC, the number of twin births has almost doubled over the past 40 years. So there are twice as many twins now than there were 40 years ago.
The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) has stated that 1 in every 250 pregnancies results in twins now.
Fraternal twins are a lot more common than identical twins. Of all the multiple pregnancies, one-third of them are fraternal twins.
This rise in the number of twins can be attributed to the increased use of fertility treatments. In the United States, CDC the found that more than one-third of all twin pregnancies are on account of the use of fertility treatments.
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Factors that influence twin birth
Doctors don’t yet understand the reasons behind the occurrence of twin births. However, there are certain factors that have been known to increase the chances of having twins or multiples.
The followings factors are known to influence twin birth:
Family history
If a woman has a family history of twins or she herself is a twin, then there is a higher chance that she will give birth to twins.
Twin births are more common if the family history of twins is in the mother’s side than in the father’s side.
Some people believe that having twins skips a generation, i.e. a person is more likely to have twins if one of their grandparents had twins. But this is a complete myth and there is no evidence available that can support this claim.
In this article of “how to have twins”, family history is probably the most influential factors amongst all for having twins or triplets by natural conception.
The woman’s age
As per the Office on Women’s Health, there are higher chances of having twins if the woman is 35 years or older.
This is mainly because of the follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), which is released in the body to help in the development of the eggs in the ovaries before they get released.
As the woman ages, higher levels of FSH are needed as the egg will require more stimulation to grow as compared to a younger woman. Due to this increased FSH activity, sometimes more than one egg is released at a time, which can result in twin pregnancy.
Now if you really want twins, you may decide to wait longer to have kids so that you can increase your chances of having twins. But remember, the more you age, your fertility is reduced and you may have trouble in conceiving all together. Women who get pregnant at a later age also have a higher chance of bearing children with chromosomal abnormalities.
So consult your doctor before go down this road.
Height and weight
According to the ASRM report, fraternal twins are more common in women who are taller and heavier as compared to smaller women.
The exact reason behind this has not been found, but scientists believe that in taller woman there is more presence of a growth hormones that enables the release of more than one egg during ovulation.
Women with a higher body weight also have higher chances of having twins. This has been linked to the increased levels of estrogen in the body because of the extra fat storage. Estrogen will help in the release of more than one egg during ovulation.
Because you want twins and you cannot increase your height, you might consider gaining weight to increase your chances of having twins. But you need to remember heavier women also have problems conceiving, and higher weight will come with its own set of problems that you may not be ready to face.
So consult your doctor before you think of gaining those pounds, as this may not be the best approach for you.
Having more kids
It has been observed that if a woman has been pregnant previously, her chances of having twins increases. Having more kids makes your body release more eggs.
Unless you want to create your own Brady bunch, this might not be the best idea. Again consult your doctor before you consider going down this road.
Breastfeeding
It has been observed that women who get pregnant while breastfeeding have a higher chance of conceiving twins than women who are not breastfeeding.
A study found that, 11.4% of breastfeeding women got pregnant with twins as compared to just 1.1% of non-breastfeeding women.
Although breastfeeding is known to suppress fertility and prevents a women from getting pregnant at that time, but the presence of prolactin can also push the ovaries to release more than one egg enabling a twin pregnancy.
Some women do not resume their normal menstrual cycle while they are breastfeeding. It may differ from individual to individual; therefore, breastfeeding may not help these women get pregnant with twins.
So continuing to breastfeed your previous baby can help to increase your chances of having twins. But again, consult your doctor.
Fertility treatments that influence twin birth
The recent jump in the number of twins is highly attributed to the increased use of fertility treatments. These fertility treatments increase the chances of having twins.
If you ask experts about how to have twins, they might suggest fertility treatments, as it is the most effective course of action to increase your chances of having twins.
Different fertility treatments work in different ways and your chances of having twins with each treatment will be different.
Some fertility drugs work on the concept of stimulating the woman’s ovaries to release eggs. This stimulation may sometimes result in the release of two or more eggs resulting in a twin pregnancy.
Gonadotropins are released by the pituitary gland in the body to increase the production of sex hormones and stimulation of the ovaries to release eggs. FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) and LH (luteinizing hormone) are the main gonadotropins.
Normally these gonadotropins signal the ovaries to release one egg each month, but when they are injected into the individual in the form of fertility drugs, they signal the ovaries to produce multiple eggs. More eggs released will result in higher chances of having twins.
As per the ASRM, 30% of all pregnancies result in twins or multiples when you use gonadotropins as a fertility drug.
Clomiphene is another fertility drug that is commonly used in the United States. It is an oral medication and the dosage will vary from individual to individual. This drug stimulates the body to release sex hormones to induce ovulation and the release of eggs. Studies have shown that women who have used clomiphene as a fertility drug have higher chances of having twins than women who haven’t taken this fertility drug.
Although both these fertility drugs are considered safe and effective, they also come with potential risks and side effects like any other medication. Always consult your doctor to narrow down on the best possible treatment option for you.
In your journey to understand how to have twins, you will surely come across in-vitro fertilization (IVF). IVF is another fertility treatment that is known to increase the chances of having twins.
IVF is a process in which viable eggs from the women’s body are removed and fertilized with the help of sperms from your partner or a donor in a laboratory to form an embryo. The fertilized embryos are then transferred into the womb to further grow into a baby.
Many IVF clinics implant more than one embryo into the womb to increase the likelihood of success. If more than one embryo implants and develops successfully, twins can occur.
But because multiple pregnancies come with their own added risks, healthcare professional now have started limiting the number of embryos they transfer into the women’s womb to avoid the occurrence of twins, triplets, or more.
There are many other fertility treatments available, so talk to your doctor to understand what will be the best course of action for you.
Foods that can influence twin birth
You must have heard your grandmother say that eating certain foods will get you pregnant. Although their observations were not based not thorough studies and were more coincidences, there are certain foods that can increase your fertility and may even increase your chances of having twins.
How to have twins by just changing your diet may seem ridiculous, but certain foods have been known to help.
Women who consume a lot of dairy products have higher chances of having twins. Although there is no concrete research to support this claim, it is being theorized that the growth hormones that are given to cows also affect the hormone levels in the humans.
Food that contain higher levels of zinc help in increasing sperm production. So if your partner eats more zinc-rich foods, their sperm count will increase, which will also increase the chances of having twins, as the sperms will be able to fertilizes two or more of the released eggs.
Cereals, breads, green leafy vegetables, wheat germ, seeds, oysters, etc. are all great sources of zinc. But if your partner would rather have supplements, remember that 14 mg/day is the recommended dosage for men. But again, consult your doctor before taking those supplements.
It has also been observed that in areas where the major diet consists of yams, there are higher chances of having twins. Yams have higher levels of progesterone and phytoestrogens that can lead to hyper-ovulation. So maybe your answer to how to have twins is just eating yams.
Licorice root is known to help in the regulation of menstrual cycle and hormone levels. This improves the fertility which can help improve your chances of having twins.
Maca root helps in boosting fertility in both men and women. Although there is no evidence to support this claim, it might be worth giving it a shot.
Flaxseed oil is also known to stabilize hormonal imbalances and improve fertility.
Sweet cassava is known to help induce hyper-ovulation.
Chaste tree berry helps in hyper-ovulation as well. It also helps in preventing cyst.
Black cohosh, pineapple core, and tapioca also help in improving fertility and hyper-ovulation.
Folic acid supplements are usually recommended during pregnancy as it helps in preventing spina bifida. Increased intake of folic acid is also linked to increased fertility which results in higher chances of having twins.
Adding some of the above foods into your daily diet may help you answer the question how to have twins. But before you start shopping, consult your doctor before making any drastic changes to your eating habits.
Also remember that eating these foods does not guarantee that you will have twins, it will just be increasing your chances of having twins.
Risks of having twins and multiples
Even though many women around the world have given birth to healthy twins, triplets, or more, it is still riskier for both the woman and the fetuses.
This is the reason that many fertility treatment centers are now against implanting more than one embryo during IVF treatment.
The recommends that if a woman under the age of 30 is going for fertility treatment, they should just implant one embryo to transfer into the womb.
You might be thinking that when you are having trouble conceiving, then being pregnant with twins or multiples should be great news, right!!
But multiple pregnancies come with added risks like:
- Low birth weight of the child
- Premature delivery, which can further cause complications for the child
- Still birth
- Congenital defects and disabilities like cerebral palsy and autism.
- Preeclampsia in the mother
- Diabetes during pregnancy
- Babies will have to be delivered with a C-section
- Needing extra bed rest during pregnancy
Final thoughts
You must have realized by now that there is no definite answer to your question of how to have twins. But many factors and foods can influence your chances of having twins.
But if you are one of lucky few who is now pregnant with twins, you will have to monitor your pregnancy carefully. Follow the doctor’s instruction diligently because your baby’s and your wellbeing depends on it.
Unfortunately there is no miracle pill that you can take to end your search of the question how to have twins. But by talking to your doctor and following what they prescribe might improve your chances of having twins.
Amar Kirale
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Author:
Amar Kirale
- >> Post Created: December 22, 2020
- >> Last Updated: November 5, 2024
