dna testing

So we've always been told the boys were fraternal because they had their own sacks, and with size differences etc at birth, they were pretty easy to tell apart at first. As time is going on (they are almost 8 months old), they are looking more and more alike and harder to tell apart. We've had multiple people tell us that they are starting to wonder if they might actually be identical and we should get them tested. Should we just keep waiting and watching as they get older or have them tested now? If so, any suggestions on who to use for testing? Anyone else have that situation? Any thoughts?

 

My boys were in separate sacks, and I had two placentas, but because they look alike we decided to have them DNA tested. It was more for curiosity than anything, and also because I was tired of telling people that 'yes, they are alike but we don't know whether they are identical or not'. We found a company on the internet that did twin zygosity testing, and sent off for a kit. We opted to do the more simple test rather than the much more expensive legally admissible test, so it was not too expensive. The test results showed that they were identical on all 15 markers tested, so there was a greater than 99% percent probability that they were identical. I must admit that I was pleased but surprised, as they look so different to me! :lol:
There are quite a few companies that offer testing. I'm glad to have found out, but if there was a medical issue in the future I would probably do one of the legally admissible tests to be absolutely 100% sure.

 

POST PICS!! We'll tell you!! We love this game

 

If I were in that situation, I couldn't resist testing!!!!

 

If I was in your situation I would test! I can't believe how few hospitals test at birth. I was told from my first ultrasound that b/c my girls each had her own sac and own placenta that chances were higher they were fraternal, but we would not know for sure until birth. After they were born they were tested in the hospital and we had the results before we were discharged. We already figured they were identical though, since the second they were born they looked exactly alike.

I'd have to test!

 

i think i'll probably do the testing at some point, need the couple extra dollars first. Here's a couple pics, sorry there arent better ones, but my computer crashed and i havent been able to recover my pics from my harddrive yet. Their personalities are so different it makes them easy to tell apart.


http://s162.photobucket.com/albums/t262/jvanmourik/twins/?action=view&current=boysinplayhouse.jpg

http://s162.photobucket.com/albums/t262/jvanmourik/twins/?action=view&current=boysatplay.jpg

 

Did they have their blood typed in the hospital? Because I'm RH-neg, my girls had to be typed to see if I needed a rhogam booster. They had different blood types, so we knew they were fraternal.

 

They werent, unfortunately.

 

I think the chance of same sex, di-di twins to be MZ is around 11%, maybe higher. I was in the same boat as you - di-di, different weight at birth, looked fraternal to me. But their teeth came in at the same time, they hit all their milestones together, and so we tested at 15 months. We used Proactive Genetics. PG took longer than I expected, but all their materials were very professional. MZ, and looking more and more so by the day.

So, if you take the initial chance of same sex, di-di twins to be identical, and drop out the obvious fraternals (different eye or hair color) your chances of MZ go WAY up.

Good luck either way!

 

Hmm, I would probably test them, just because I would want to know for sure. ardon:

 

cannot tell from those pics, do you have anymore side by side??

 

I don't know. I know that in my family, there is a strong resemblence between my brother's son and Izzy and Jack. Jack is a mini Izzy and Izzy is a mini Allen, who is my brother's son. And all 3 boys look like my brother when he was a baby. So it could simply be that there is a family resemblence between them. I'd get them tested just so you know.

 

I am such an advocate for testing that I'm probably beyond annoying to everyone!! I have personal experience- my twin and I didn't know we were identical until our early 30's and it was SOOOOOOOO nice to know for sure because it is the single most frequently asked question we get about being twins (that and can you feel eachother's pain, read eachother's mind, etc)
My sister's twins were di/di also and she was told that they were most likely fraternal, but they have the same blood type and looked so much alike that she had them tested and they are indeed identical. I'd be willing to bet that the number of di/di identicals is much higher because people are told 2 sacs equals frats that they don't bother testing... Look at the Olson twins- they believe they're frat and they are so not fraternal... anyway, when you have some extra money- get them tested- they will thank you for it!! And it will be nice for you to be able to answer with certainty, too!!