Fraternal twins - need articles explaining the details

We found out yesterday that we're having a boy and a girl, so now I'm getting tons of questions asking how in the world, without a family history of fraternal twins (on the maternal line) this has happened (and of course, more than a few asking if this was the result of fertility treatments, which it is not). I did find an interesting Q&A with a geneticist at Stanford explaining the different factors that can cause fraternal twins, but I'm looking for more. I have people insisting all kinds of things I'm pretty sure aren't true and people getting confused, so I'd really like some help setting them - and myself - straight.

 

family history like you already know, age also has a lot to do with it. Dizygotic twins are also more common for older mothers, with twinning rates doubling in mothers over the age of 35. I found that on Wiki. I also found this site, which has some interesting facts on it:

http://www.natural-pregnancy-mentor.com/fraternal-twins-facts.html

 

Family history and age are factors yes, as well as race. Also women can hyperovulate after stopping the pill which was the case with me. I had a set of frat boys when I was 34, I am black, have a family history, and had just stopped the pill. My OB told me "Now that you have a set, if you get pregnant again, I'm sure it will be twins" I conceived 2 more sets (lost one set, one baby from the next)after the boys, as having frats is another factor. But all "factors" aside, sometimes you just get pregnant with twins!

 

I agree with PP, sometimes you just get pregnant with twins. Not everything can be explained by science.

 

Yup, while there are factors that increase the chances (age, family history), I think in most cases it "just happens" with fraternal and identical twins. From what I've read, a female fraternal twin only has a 15% higher chance of having twins than someone who isn't a fraternal twin. that means that someone who just has a family history isn't going to increase the odds of having twins very much anyway (probably much lower than 15%). I think most of it is just random chance.

It could be your newly acquired maternal age though...

I am finding this question very annoying too. Almost everyone automatically asks, "Do twins run in your family or did you do fertility treatments?" when they find out I'm having twins. It's very awkward. Of course, I have the option of giving either answer. Twins do run in my family (several sets of identical and fraternal twins on both sides, even though I know identicals are supposedly not genetic) and I am a twin so sometimes, if I'm feeling annoyed or it's someone I don't know well, I just cut them off with, "Why, yes, twins do run in my family. In fact, I'm a twin myself." End of story, nosy people!

But, truth be told, the cause of my twins was a two-embryo transfer for a FET...

 

Sorry, I should have helped you with an answer. I would probably just say, "While there are some factors that can increase the chances of fraternal twins, sometimes it just happens and that's our situation."

 

Congrats on a having a boy and a girl!

I'm pregnant with fraternal girl/girl twins. I've been asked a lot if twins run in my family. Even though I got pregnant through transferring two embryos during an IVF cycle, I certainly don't tell people that. I just say, "No, they don't run in our families. We're starting a trend." Or, "Sometimes it just happens."

 

I usually answer "they do now." Ours were spontaneous ID, but I really hate the thinly-veiled questions. A dear friend of mine deadpans "I'm infertile." Shuts people up quickly!

People are asking because it's amazing to have twins (I still think that, even having my own set) and they want to understand the "how" of it all. Just tell them that it is a result of two eggs being fertilized and growing. If they press just shrug and say, "pretty amazing, right?"

 

Wow, congrats! (I recognized you by your username -- at least if you are who I assume you are :ibiggrin: )

My sister-in-law (DH's sister) and I both have fraternal twins. You can imagine the "do twins run in your family?" questions! In our case they were both due to IVF, but we usually just say "delayed childbearing" (which, in a sense, is true -- I don't know if I would have conceived more easily if I'd been younger, but it's possible!) and leave it at that.

 

Thanks for the replies, everyone! I was already sure that this was just an awesome fluke (despite what you think, J-squared ), but it has been interesting that some people really feel the need to know WHY this happens. I guess I'll just hit them back with a few of your well-worded retorts. We have done fertility treatments in the past - one successful, two failed - and were open about it, which is why some people feel so comfortable asking; I'm sure those people were confused since we were also open about giving up well over a year ago. I suppose the other people who don't know about our IF history are just nosy or too bold for their own good.

Yeah, Minette - it's me. Good to see you here, too!

 

Hey, you bring up your advanced maternal age, I will run with it... See you on our other board!