Increasing your chances of a TWIN pregnancy: is it possible?
Many women search the internet and look for ways to improve their odds of having twin babies. Although there is no substantial scientific evidence that shows proven methods to increase the chances of conceiving twins, certain factors can increase the likelihood of a twin pregnancy.
Factors that Increase Odds of a Twin Pregnancy
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported that the number of twin births has doubled for four decades. A twin pregnancy occurs when two separate eggs fertilize, or a single egg divides into two embryos. Several factors influence or increase the odds of a twin pregnancy. Read on!
Genetics
A woman’s chances of having twins are higher if the trait runs in her family. Research shows that specific genes, such as follicle-stimulating hormones, can cause a twin pregnancy. The FSH hormone promotes ovulation and tends to release multiple eggs.
Studies highlight that a woman can inherit genes for hyper-ovulation. It means if twins run in your family, you will be more likely to have twins. For example, if your sister has twins, your chances of having twin babies will increase by 60%.
That’s the reason researchers and health professionals often say that twins come from the mother. Besides, it does not matter if the father has twins in his family because his genetic material (DNA) does not influence the number of eggs the mother releases.
Age
Studies show that older woman above the age 35 has higher chances of having a twin pregnancy. Unlike younger women, 35 years old female individuals are about four times more likely to conceive twins.
The primary reason behind this is hormonal changes an older woman experience before the menopausal period. Hormonal changes encourage a woman’s body to release multiple eggs during ovulation.
Height & Weight
Some studies show that taller women have increased chances of having twins. For instance, if your height is 5-feet 4-inches, you are two times more likely to conceive twins than a woman who is 5-feet 1-inches or shorter.
Health professionals believe that this is due to a higher quantity of an insulin-like growth factor or protein. A woman’s body releases the protein in response to the growth factor, making the ovaries sensitive to the FSH.
Weight is another factor that influences the likelihood of a twin pregnancy. Overweight women have higher chances of twin conception. For instance, if your body-mass-index (BMI) is above 30, you have greater odds of getting pregnant with two embryos. In contrast, a woman whose BMI is less than 178.5 has lower chances of twins.Â
Ethnicity
If you have European ancestry, congratulations, your odds of getting pregnant with twins are high. Research shows that every 1 in 30 families of European origin has twin brothers or sisters.
On the other hand, if your ancestral roots come from Asia, you will have much lower chances of getting pregnant with two embryos. Studies highlight that every 1 in 70 families of Asian ancestry has twin brothers or sisters.
It means ethnicity and ancestry significantly influence the odds of a twin pregnancy. Likewise, if you have African ancestry, your chances of conceiving twins are 30% more than European and 50% more than Asian women.
Diet
Although associating diet with a twin pregnancy seems a little strange, some studies show that diet does influence it. For example, consuming animal products, such as meat and dairy, substantially increase the chances of multiple pregnancies.
In fact, dairy products can boost the chances up to five times due to the overproduction of growth hormones and the concentration of specific proteins that trigger hyper-ovulation. Moreover, if you have previously given birth to a child, your likelihood of having twins will further increase.
In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)
Women who undergo In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) have twins, triplets, or higher multiple pregnancies. A 2013 study shows that more than 40% of IVF pregnancies in the United States resulted in twins and triplets.
The number of IVF pregnancies leading to twin births is way more than the natural occurrence rate, which is only 2% in the population. Furthermore, fertility treatments, including IVF, IUI, and OI, are the primary causes of increased twin births in the US.
Final Words
Getting pregnant with twins is an exciting time for every woman. Although there is little research that gives methods to increase the chances of conception with twins, studies are more prominent on factors that influence the likelihood of multiple pregnancies
