Identical Fraternals?

Discussion in 'The First Year' started by LoriK, Jun 17, 2007.

  1. LoriK

    LoriK Well-Known Member

    Ok, we were at a festival today, got lots of attention & ran into a mom of teenage twins. She told me her twins were identical fraternals. I said I hadn't heard of that one, what does it mean? She said they were fraternal but were identical in every way...the things they did, dna, etc. ???? :eek: If the dna is the same doesn't that make them identical. She also said they were mirror image twins...doesn't that make them identical?

    Is there even such a thing as identical fraternals?
     
  2. geaemama

    geaemama Well-Known Member

    If they have the same DNA then they have to be identical. There are some identical twins who are in different sacs with different placentas - but if they have the same DNA they came from one egg and one sperm.

    Next, my two oldest kids looked identical when they were little. Even now, you compare what they looked like at the same age and the only way you can tell who is who is that Gabe was in boy stuff and Evie was in girl stuff.

    On top of that, I have an aunt who I look exactly like. You can put her 12 year old pic next to mine (she died at 12) and you can't tell they are different people.
     
  3. JDMummy

    JDMummy Well-Known Member

    Um, yes. If they have the same DNA they are indeed ID. Maybe she meant that they are fraternal in personality?????

    It's amazing how many twin parents don't even get it. I read an article in the paper once about how many twins were in my DS' school and one of the mothers was talking about how even though her girls were ID she could tell them apart because one had brown eyes and other had hazel?!?!? :blink: I mean, HELLO! Not ID! People. :rolleyes:
     
  4. Trish_e

    Trish_e Well-Known Member

    To me it sounds like she is a misiformed mother. Mirror image twins can only be identical. You can have fraternal twins that look alot a like. But if the DNA came back identical then I would say they're identical and not fraturnal.
     
  5. ihavesevensons

    ihavesevensons Well-Known Member

    What is Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen? I heard that they were fraternal (I could be wrong here) :lol: but they look ALOT alike!
     
  6. MamaKimberlee

    MamaKimberlee Well-Known Member

    I am constantly amazed by how uneducated TWIN MOMMIES can be.

    One woman I ran into at walmart asked me if mine were identical or fraternal. I said we don't know. She asked (and this is my favorite line of all...) "Didn't you ask the doctor?" I said "He doesn't know. They had seperate sacs and placentas." The lady said "Then their fraternal!" I said "No! 25-25% of twins like that are identical." She looked at me in astonishment and said "I have twin sons who are 22. I can't even tell them apart. The doctor told me they are not identical." I told here - "Your doctor had no way to know that. You have identical twins if YOU can't tell them apart." She said "Are you sure they could be identical?" I said "I'm sure." She walked away in a daze....
     
  7. Her Royal Jennyness

    Her Royal Jennyness Well-Known Member

    She sounds misinformed. If they have the exact same DNA they have to be ID! There is an infinitesimally small chance that they are fraternals that by sheer chance have the same DNA but it's like 500 gazillion to 1 that such a thing might even occur... in theory!
     
  8. Trish_e

    Trish_e Well-Known Member

    QUOTE(ihavesevensons @ Jun 17 2007, 07:55 PM) [snapback]296000[/snapback]
    What is Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen? I heard that they were fraternal (I could be wrong here) :lol: but they look ALOT alike!


    According to their mother they had their own sac and placenta and their doc told them fraternal. They have never had a DNA test done to see for sure. I personally believe they're di/di identical.
     
  9. dalilja

    dalilja Well-Known Member

    These questions always confuse me. You know why? Because even the professionals can't agree. I've read so many articles on twins that contradict each other and it drives me crazy!

    I heard the DNA test was the only way to tell for sure, then I read somewhere else that even those results can be incorrect. Whatever!

    IMO, in the end, it doesn't really matter. We're all blessed to have twins, fraternal, identical or whatever other term someone comes up with! :icon_eek:
     
  10. angie7

    angie7 Well-Known Member

    Maybe she meant they are ID, mirror image twins but they act like fraternals in their personalites???
     
  11. Ali M

    Ali M Well-Known Member

    She was probably told by her doctor that they were fraternal because they were in different sacs and then she found out they are identical but never realized that those two things are exclusive. So she calls them identical fraternals. :) I too am amazed at how little parents and doctors know about twinning when there is all that knowledge out there.
     
  12. AimeeThomp

    AimeeThomp Well-Known Member TS Moderator

    QUOTE(MamaKimberlee @ Jun 17 2007, 07:22 PM) [snapback]296026[/snapback]
    I am constantly amazed by how uneducated TWIN MOMMIES can be.

    One woman I ran into at walmart asked me if mine were identical or fraternal. I said we don't know. She asked (and this is my favorite line of all...) "Didn't you ask the doctor?" I said "He doesn't know. They had seperate sacs and placentas." The lady said "Then their fraternal!" I said "No! 25-25% of twins like that are identical." She looked at me in astonishment and said "I have twin sons who are 22. I can't even tell them apart. The doctor told me they are not identical." I told here - "Your doctor had no way to know that. You have identical twins if YOU can't tell them apart." She said "Are you sure they could be identical?" I said "I'm sure." She walked away in a daze....



    LOL about the uneducated comment! Reminds me of a few weeks ago when I was talking about being pregnant with twins here at the office.....and someone told me that he has "paternal" twins. I didn't say anything, but I was thinking "paternal, huh?"
     
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