Correct me if I'm wrong....

cause the training doctor did! I could be wrong, but from what I've read ID twins are not genetic. Yes you can have id's in the family but I thought ID was random selection.

We were at the ped's yesterday, (it's in a training hospital for residents), the attending doc asked me if twins ran in the family. I said "no, they are identical", again she asked me "if twins ran in the family", again I said "they are id twins". She then replied (like i was stupid) that ID twins can be genetic.

Have I misunderstood everything i've read??

 

You are correct, as far as I know. ID's are just a random thing.

But I did read somewhere (and for the life of me cannot remember where) that there could be a gene that makes it more likely for an egg to split-or something like that. Maybe someone smarter than me can answer you. But from everything (except this one thing) I've read and heard you are correct.

 

That's all I've ever heard too...although I vaguely remember hearing something like Rhonda mentioned so who knows...

But that doesn't explain why everyone, regardless of age, race or family history has the same 1 in 250 shot at IDs as opposed to the varying chances you get with frats!

So I say to her!

 

QUOTE
You are correct, as far as I know. ID's are just a random thing.

But I did read somewhere (and for the life of me cannot remember where) that there could be a gene that makes it more likely for an egg to split-or something like that.


That is how I have understood it also.

 

That's what I thought. My husband had to leave the room cause her attitude he didn't want to argue with her in front of our 3 yo. She was sooo snotty about it, like I was an idiot. I mean she went to college to be a doctor so she knows everything. (no she is not the usually doctor we see) :nea:

 

I agree with everybody. It's random according every book that I read.

 

From everything I've heard it's random, but both my husband and his brother are fathers to identical twins, so who knows --- maybe there's an overachieving sperm gene...

 

From what I have read on line they haven't really tested that theory yet.

 

My OB assured me that ID is random the day I was screaming over and over on his exam table, "Twins aren't in my family! Twins aren't in my faammillyyyyy!!"

Otherwise, why would the statistic be so straighforward when all other factors are considered?

 

QUOTE(Overachiever @ Sep 9 2007, 04:03 AM) [snapback]399314[/snapback]
My OB assured me that ID is random the day I was screaming over and over on his exam table, "Twins aren't in my family! Twins aren't in my faammillyyyyy!!"



:rotflmbo: :rotflmbo: :laughing:

I swear my reaction was so similar even after I found out they were fraternal I was actually hoping for ID so I could kind of blame my DH since his family DOES have history of both ID and Frat

 

I get confused too. As far as I know my girls are fraternal. I thought that since they had separate placentas and sacs that was always the case. I have read though that they could be ID. Is this true?

 

I have always heard that IDs were random too - that dr in training probably doesn't really know that much about twins at all - she just "thinks" she does cause she's a DR!! (in training) :nea:

quote name='dhub' date='Sep 9 2007, 08:49 AM' post='399448']
I get confused too. As far as I know my girls are fraternal. I thought that since they had separate placentas and sacs that was always the case. I have read though that they could be ID. Is this true?
[/quote]

they could be! from what I understand frats share nothing (except mommy!) and IDs can share everything OR nothing! or any combo in between!

 

From everything I've read and been told, ID's just "happen". Everyone has the same chance of it happening. It's funny because my husband is a frat twin, everyone assumes we had twins because of his genes. You should see the looks I get when I try to explain the difference, how each happens, or that it would have to be in my genes for me to have frats, etc. My girls aren't even one and I've given up trying to explain. I just smile and say that my husband's mom wished it on us!

 

I have always been told it is something that "just happens." That is why my Dh's fraternal twin sister is questioning her current pregnancy of ID twins. She can't believe she would get random twins and thinks that its genetic so they have to be fraternal.

 

I had a medical student when we went in for our 6 month check up ask if mine were identical?

 

QUOTE(RondaJo @ Sep 8 2007, 05:19 PM) [snapback]398876[/snapback]
You are correct, as far as I know. ID's are just a random thing.

But I did read somewhere (and for the life of me cannot remember where) that there could be a gene that makes it more likely for an egg to split-or something like that. Maybe someone smarter than me can answer you. But from everything (except this one thing) I've read and heard you are correct.

Yes, that's exactly what I've heard. Monozygotic (identical) twins are a random occurance since everyone has the same 1 in 250 chance. But there is a theory about ID twins possibly being affected by genetics.

QUOTE(dhub @ Sep 9 2007, 06:49 AM) [snapback]399448[/snapback]
I get confused too. As far as I know my girls are fraternal. I thought that since they had separate placentas and sacs that was always the case. I have read though that they could be ID. Is this true?

Here's the deal with sacs, placentas and twins. I sound so authoritative!

Fraternal twins are from 2 fertilized eggs, they always have 2 separate placentas and sacs. The placentas can become fused, but they are still fraternal.

Identical twins are from when 1 fertilized eggs splits. If the eggs splits 1-3 days after fertilization then the eggs will float away from each other and the babies will each have their own sac and placenta. If the egg splits 4-7 (?I think it's 7?) days after fertilization then the babies will each have their own sac but share a placenta. If the egg splits 8-11 days after fertilization they will share a sac and placenta. If the egg splits after 11 day they will be conjoined to different degrees. The later the split the more conjoined they will be.