How did you determine if your twins were fraternal or identical?

I keep getting this question all the time and I'm getting tired of saying I don't know. We thought we were dealing with TTTS when I was pregnant with them (there was a weight difference and when born they were 6 lbs 7 ozs and 4 lbs 13 ozs) but they look nothing alike!! So how did you determine if yours were fraternal or identical??

 

For us it was easy- they have different blood types. I'm sure some of the ID mommas will come on here and tell you about the labs that do screenings to determine if twins are ID.

 

we're an easy case too- one's a red head and the other's a brunette! Though I would like to know their blood types. I asked while they were in the NICU and the nurses couldn't find the info!

 

Mine look similar (same hair and eye color) but I can easily tell them apart so I assume they are fraternal. Still we have enough people ask that I am starting to get tired of saying we're not sure, especially when so many act like you are an idiot for not knowing! Grrr. I ordered the testing kit this morning so we can finally say 100%. I also asked at our last pedi appt if they knew their blood types and they had not been tested, so that was no help. It will be nice to know for sure.

Jen

 

Our doctor's say they are id, because of they had TTTS. And, there was only one placenta and they have the same bloodlines.

 

I have never had my di/di boys officially tested, but I know they are identical. One reason is that sometimes I will think I have one son when in fact I have the other one. Sometimes a family member will ask me who they are holding and I will have to look at both of the boys in order to tell them which one is which. Then, other times I can tell them apart very easily, but mostly based on temperament. The other reason is they both still have these bright blue eyes at 14 months. Me and my husband, my older two children, both my parents, and my husband's mother all have brown eyes. So the chances of me having fraternal twins and both of them having blue eyes is astronomical.

 

Two blood types fo us.

 

We knew with my boys right away because they shared a placenta. My sister and I didn't know we were id until we had a dna test through proactive genetics for about $180 2 years ago. My sister had her twins tested with proactive genetics because they were di/di but had the same blood type and looked ALOT alike- they're also identical... the only way to know for sure if they have the same blood type is a DNA test... I would get it done because as a twin myself, the question "are you identical or fraternal" never stops!!

 

We're still not sure. We thought we had TTTS also, but ended up with two placentas fused and one baby with IUGR. They don't look ID to me due to diff shaped heads, but i'm begging dh to let us take the test. Oh yeah, same blood type didn't help!

 

We were told our boys are ID because they shared a placenta and had TTTS. They also have the same blood type.

 

QUOTE(stacyw @ Feb 14 2008, 03:33 PM) [snapback]622053[/snapback]
The other reason is they both still have these bright blue eyes at 14 months. Me and my husband, my older two children, both my parents, and my husband's mother all have brown eyes. So the chances of me having fraternal twins and both of them having blue eyes is astronomical.

This is the only thing that really raises any question about fraternal v. identical for me. Was told fraternal at birth (fused placenta). Both have the same blood type and both have hazel green eyes. I'm half Korean and have very dark brown eyes and hair and both my parents have brown eyes, DH has blue, MIL and FIL have blue. Never thought I'd have a child with anything but brown eyes. Both of them have the same shade of hazel eyes too...makes me wonder but they are so different looking to me. Guess I'll have to wait until they're older or have the test done.

 

Fertility treatments!

And, they look nothing at all alike.

 

We knew ours were ID because of the TTTS which was confirmed with the placenta pathology report which showed one placenta. I can easily tell them apart because one is 2-3 pounds lighter than the other, but they are indeed ID!

Jenny

 

DNA test w/Affiliated Genetics and they're a match. They looked totally different to me until around 4 months and then I started to wonder. DH still believed they were fraternal when we tested at 15 months.

Parents are the worst judges of zygosity based on appearance. If everyone else thinks they look alike, they look alike.

 

Umm... taking their diapers off!

My sister & I are identical, but have never been tested. We looked so similar at birth and we have the same blood types. Debi is right, parents are the worst 'guessers' when it comes to identical/fraternal!

You can always do the dna testing to make sure!

 

They had sep. placentas and sacs and conceived on clomid, so I knew they most likely were.

They told us the day they were born that they were frats, they have different blood types.

They did look id when born, but pretty quickly started to look vastly different.

 

I was told the day I found out I was having twins, that they were fraternal. why? because they were in different placentas. After they were born, I learned they had the same blood type - but didn't even think about them being identical at this point as I could tell them apart and their heads were shaped differently. Everyone was telling me that the HAD to be id as no one but me could tell them apart. Fast forward to 10 mos. old and I had a DNA test done - they are identical. What's funny is that I did SO much reading about twins, and NEVER thought that they were id just because the doctor said they were fraternal <_< - twins can be id and seperate placentas if the egg splits within 2 days. so that's what happened to me. kind of cool I thought! If your's were in the same placenta - doesn't that make them id? sorry - I can't remember from all my reading. especially if there was TTTS involved? Id twins can have the same dna and look differently or have different shaped heads etc. good luck in your search!!

 

Mine were mono - shared same sac and placenta - so no doubt they were identical

 

My twins shared a placenta.

 

Mine look so incredibly different. Now that they are 5, many people don't even realize their twins (I don't dress them alike).

 

I was told fraternal when pregnant, mine were di/di. We tested with ProActive Genetics when they were about 4 months old, they are ID. Nobody can tell them apart, though they look very different to me!

 

Thanks everyone!! My dh is CONVINCED they are fraternal. My doc was too at first because I was on clomid but then the whole TTTS thing happened. But then when the pathology report came back from the placenta it was two placentas fused together but with communication between the two and it was deemed di/di but my OB still said he believed they were identical so I don't know. It seems like a lot of us were in this boat. I will definitely just bite the bullet and have them tested. Now I just need to figure out when is a good time. LOL!

 

Aside from the fact that mine look nothing alike, mine were IUI babies and definitely from different eggs...one is blonde and blue eyed,the other brown haired brown eyed! There is no doubt!!

 

QUOTE(pinguinlvr @ Feb 14 2008, 04:54 PM) [snapback]622490[/snapback]
Thanks everyone!! My dh is CONVINCED they are fraternal. My doc was too at first because I was on clomid but then the whole TTTS thing happened. But then when the pathology report came back from the placenta it was two placentas fused together but with communication between the two and it was deemed di/di but my OB still said he believed they were identical so I don't know. It seems like a lot of us were in this boat. I will definitely just bite the bullet and have them tested. Now I just need to figure out when is a good time. LOL!


My OB thinks mine are Frats my Pedi thinks mine are ID... but that was when they were newbies... he can tell them apart now. I would have mine tested but DH and everyone in the world for that matter really doesnt seem to think it is necessary... but I want to KNOW you know?? KWIM?? LOL!

 

We knew at 7 weeks cuz they shared a sac and a placenta-- no doubt there that they are ID! And then they were born and OMG THEY ARE ID!!

 

Well, I am just saying mine are I can't tell them apart half the time. DH can only tell them apart by looking at one of their ears which has a small point. They have auburn hair. Red heads aren't common to begin with, but to have frat twins with them would be kind of odd coming from our dark headed families. But there was two placentas, so we can't be absolutely certain without the DNA test. I really do not want to pay for it, so I am just telling everyone ID. Easier that way

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj54/Au.../headlights.jpg

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj54/Au...istmastwins.jpg

 

We had one placenta and ttts. Look exactly alike except one is 3lbs bigger.

 

We had TTTS so we know they are identical. The weight difference really causes them to look different though. I actually had lots of people ask me how many months older Ainsley was than Sierra. :umm: As they grow and the weight difference becomes a smaller percentage of their total weight, they should start to look more alike. There are times now when I have to stop for a minute and think before I know who is who.

 

My girls looked so different at birth, Payton's head was alot bigger, a completely different shape & she was bright red for months. Piper was tiny with a tiny round head & she was albino white, so pale I was actually worried about her. They do share the same not so common blood type & in sleeping pics we could not tell them apart so at about 3 months curiosity got the best of us and we did the zygosity testing & sure enough, they are identical - all markers matched. We had two placentas & they were in opposite positions throughout pregnancy, not a whole lot of flipping was done so Payton, being crammed down in my pelvis had a huge impact on how she looked for many months. Her nose was even a little squished. Now they look a ton alike, there are slight differences and we still don't have a problem telling them apart but most people can't.

 

I'm a little late getting into this discussion but it's the exact question I have. I'm so confused! I was told that my babies were identical because they shared a placenta. I was told the membrane between their sacs was very thin, also indicating one placenta. My girls were born on February 8th and now my ob/gyn says the only way to know if they're identical is to get a DNA test. If they're right next to each other I can tell who is who because Cara is bigger than Elyse. But, we do confuse them all the time if they're not right next to each other.

I went my whole pregnancy thinking they were identical and now I have no clue. Has anyone else been told they might not be ID even though there was only one placenta?

Can anyone recommend a DNA test...any good prices out there??

Thanks.

 

We were told they might be fraternal if there were two placentas that fused early. In all of our ultrasounds, they could only see one placenta, but two sacs...we found out we were having twins at our 20 week ultrasound. After the babies came, the doctor looked at the placenta and couldn't say conclusively if it looked like it was fused or not, so we didn't know if they were identical or not. They have the same blood type and many identical features, but they look different because our Baby A, Seth, has a different shaped head (flat spot) from being head-down, pressed against by pelvis the whole time. We tested through Genex Diagnostics for $180 dollars and found out 5 days after sending the test back that they are indeed identical...

Good Luck!

 

QUOTE(srod674 @ Feb 27 2008, 04:43 PM) [snapback]643608[/snapback]
I'm a little late getting into this discussion but it's the exact question I have. I'm so confused! I was told that my babies were identical because they shared a placenta. I was told the membrane between their sacs was very thin, also indicating one placenta. My girls were born on February 8th and now my ob/gyn says the only way to know if they're identical is to get a DNA test. If they're right next to each other I can tell who is who because Cara is bigger than Elyse. But, we do confuse them all the time if they're not right next to each other.

I went my whole pregnancy thinking they were identical and now I have no clue. Has anyone else been told they might not be ID even though there was only one placenta?

Can anyone recommend a DNA test...any good prices out there??

Thanks.


Did you have your placenta examined after birth? We were told we had one placenta then after it was examined, it was two fused together. If it was definitely one placenta, they are ID.

 

QUOTE(mommymeg @ Feb 27 2008, 04:55 PM) [snapback]643639[/snapback]
Did you have your placenta examined after birth? We were told we had one placenta then after it was examined, it was two fused together. If it was definitely one placenta, they are ID.



Hi there-
Yes, they examined it and they concluded there was only one placenta. It's interesting, both of my ob/gyn's (there are only 2 in the practice) did my c-section and one doc says they're identical, the other says we won't know unless we get a DNA test. It's interesting that they have different opinions/information on the subject.

Thanks for responding.

 

Different blood types, different hair colors, different noses, different face shapes... and people STILL ask if they're identical, LOL.