OMG Pregnant again already! Twins again?

Well, I am 8 weeks pregnant after having surprise twins just 4 months ago! OMG! I just turned 30. I never even knew about the twin history on my father's side of the family, so I NEVER expected twins. The whole pregnancy I really thought it could be twins or something was wrong, but Dr said only one big one. Surprise! Two came out! Fraternal boys. Well, now, we are expecting again, and I am completely freaking out. What are the odds of having twins again. I have read several different answers ranging from 10% to 86%. I thought that two sets of twins was rare. HELP! What are the real numbers? This will be hard enough having twins and a singleton within a year from each other, twins and twins will kill me!

 

Well it depends on what type of twins you have. If you have identical twins then your chances are not likely since identical twins are not passed down in genes...it's a spontaneous form of mother nature. If you have fraternal twins, as I do, your chances are 1 in 5 to have another set. BUT the twin gene is only passed from mother to daughter. So you would have gotten the gene from your mother...not your father.

 

I suggest a NEW DOCTOR!!! And a new ultrasound technician!!!

 

QUOTE(marieber @ Aug 14 2008, 03:05 PM) [snapback]929922[/snapback]
I suggest a NEW DOCTOR!!! And a new ultrasound technician!!!



LOL! I also thought the same thing :clapping:

 

What country are you in? In the US, an ultrasound performed at 20 weeks is standard practice so surprise twins are unheard of here for those who receive prenatal care. I can't imagine what a shock that would be.

 

QUOTE(debid @ Aug 14 2008, 10:15 AM) [snapback]929942[/snapback]
What country are you in? In the US, an ultrasound performed at 20 weeks is standard practice so surprise twins are unheard of here for those who receive prenatal care. I can't imagine what a shock that would be.

We live in the US (Wisconsin) I had an ultrasound at 23 weeks. The Dr said must have measured the head of one and the bottom of the other. Shocking, but true.

 

Yeah, I ditto a new dr!! How far along were you when you delivered? That's crazy...but congrats! Since you have frats, your chances of another set is 1 in 5 (or 20%).

 

Wow, yeah, and what were their weights?

Can you imagine, four kids under one! :blink:

 

QUOTE(MyBoos @ Aug 14 2008, 09:57 AM) [snapback]929910[/snapback]
BUT the twin gene is only passed from mother to daughter. So you would have gotten the gene from your mother...not your father.


Actually, the father can carry the "twin gene" and passed it to his daughter. Of course, when people says "twins run in my husband's family", the father has nothing to do with it but is her father has a twin history, his mother may have passed the gene to him (of course, it's useless for a man).

Congratulation for your twins and your pregnancy. I don't know many mother who had several twins sets but it can happen.

 

Wow! Congratulations!

 

QUOTE(jeffsgal @ Aug 14 2008, 02:40 PM) [snapback]929880[/snapback]
The whole pregnancy I really thought it could be twins or something was wrong, but Dr said only one big one. Surprise! Two came out! Fraternal boys.


Wow, I didnt think that happened in this day and age with ultrasounds and prenatal check ups where you hear the hearbeat or heartbeat(s) in your case. I echo getting a new Dr. this time around. How close did you make it to 40 weeks?

 

would find a new doctor.

We have a twin mom in our club that has 2 sets of twins. I found out I was pregnant with my twins when my son was only 6 months. It's tough at times, but can be done

 

QUOTE(DATJMom @ Aug 14 2008, 01:58 PM) [snapback]930231[/snapback]
Wow, I didnt think that happened in this day and age with ultrasounds and prenatal check ups where you hear the hearbeat or heartbeat(s) in your case. I echo getting a new Dr. this time around. How close did you make it to 40 weeks?



Ditto that. i didnt that happened this day in age.

 

Ok, My boy's have a teacher that had twins and didn't know it. THey are only 18 months. So it must happen but I don't think they had an ultra sound at all. I don't know if it had to do with finances, insurance, or something they just didn't want but, it did happened.

She delivered one and her husband ran out to tell family it was a boy and by the time he got back to the room there were two!

But, the doctor not seeing them in the ultra sound is what amazes me.

 

QUOTE(jeffsgal @ Aug 14 2008, 11:13 AM) [snapback]930034[/snapback]
We live in the US (Wisconsin) I had an ultrasound at 23 weeks. The Dr said must have measured the head of one and the bottom of the other. Shocking, but true.



Not possible. I would get a new doc, new ultrasound tech like PP said. Best wishes with the new pregnancy!

 

QUOTE(MyBoos @ Aug 14 2008, 10:57 AM) [snapback]929910[/snapback]
Well it depends on what type of twins you have. If you have identical twins then your chances are not likely since identical twins are not passed down in genes...it's a spontaneous form of mother nature. If you have fraternal twins, as I do, your chances are 1 in 5 to have another set. BUT the twin gene is only passed from mother to daughter. So you would have gotten the gene from your mother...not your father.


I thought that a father who came from a line of double egg-droppers could pass on the propensity to double egg-drop to his offspring. Am I wrong about this one???

 

I was curious as to what I had originally posted so I found this online. Yes, a father can pass along the gene but it won't determine if you have twins or not.


"So, in families where the women have a gene for hyper ovulation, genetics would sufficiently explain an increased presence of fraternal twins.

However, only women ovulate. So the connection is only valid on the mother's side of the family. While men can carry the gene and pass it on to their daughters, a family history of twins doesn't make them any more likely to have twins themselves. Fraternal twins "run in families" on the mother's side only, if she inherits the gene for hyper ovulation."

 

I went into the hospital at 35 weeks. I wasn't sure, but I thought my water had begun leaking. It was. A few hours later, on Easter morning, we had a 5lb7oz baby A and 5lb1oz baby B. The Dr that perfomed my ultrasound at 23weeks was not my normal Dr. I know techs usually do the ultrasounds, but for some reason it was a Dr. I really didn't question it, but I did think at the time that he seemed much less thourough than previous u/s that I had with previous pregnancies. I am really freaking out now that I hear 20% chance of another set! OMG! 3 babies in one year will be rough, but 4 seems impossible.

 

Wow, I see you are from Bristol. Have you been to the fair there? I live pretty close to there but have never made it.


And congratulations!

 

I would definitely request an earlier U/S since you've already had twins...and the fact that they missed one baby last time maybe they will be more willing to do an early U/S. Makes for a great story though!!! Congrats.

 

WOW, Congratulations!

 

QUOTE(MyBoos @ Aug 14 2008, 02:57 PM) [snapback]929910[/snapback]
BUT the twin gene is only passed from mother to daughter.



Really? I never knew that.. I knew that twins came from me, (i.e, my husbands family history isn't relevant), but I thought it could be passed from my mom or my dad.

PP, hang in there.. that is so unhead of around here.. I figured it was the same in Wisconsin.. Did you notice that you were gaining weight a little quick??

Hope everything goes well with this pregnancy.


Stacy

 

Congratulations! I too have 3 in a year. Started off as another twin pregnancy but one vanished by twelve weeks. Both were sets of identical girls and the odds of that are ridiculously high though. I know exactly how you are feeling though finding out. I got pregnant when the twins were 10 weeks old and just had our newest addition 2 days ago and the twins will be one tomorrow. It will all work out for you. I wish you the best! (What a surprise finding out about twins so late in the pregnancy last time!)

 

QUOTE(stacyann_1 @ Aug 16 2008, 07:05 PM) [snapback]933596[/snapback]
PP, hang in there.. that is so unhead of around here.. I figured it was the same in Wisconsin.. Did you notice that you were gaining weight a little quick??

I was sure something was wrong the entire pregnancy. I had actually expected the Dr to tell me it was twins when I had my ultrasound. The receptionist even was convinced I was carrying twins. I said to him that we would find out soon enough, and left telling him, no twins, only one big baby. The pics I have show one complete baby. The u/s looked like a singleton on the screen to me. I was very big at 20 weeks. By 30 weeks I couldn't walk, sit, or lie in comfort. My belly was a giant torpedo with two round bulges (two babies). I continued to think I must be having twins, but knew the u/s showed only one, so I kept telling myself the two bulges must be a head and a bottom, in transverse position. When two came out, I was crazy shocked, but at the same time, not really. It confirmed what I really knew all along. Having twins in the end, reassured me that I did know my body and my intuition wasn't wrong. I will always press a Dr to double check if I really feel something about my body in the future. I should have spoken up about my thoughts instead not trusting myself.

 

I too had three babies in a year in 51 weeks actually ihad the twins on mothers day 06 and then my baby on the 7th may 07. All my family thought it was funny to say to me 1 the 1st time 2 the second time and then ... yeah the idea of having more than one after just having twins is terrifying to say the least i I was lucky to have one but it was still tough. I can only imagine how hard it is when you had to get used to the idea of twins when you already had them. congradulations you'll do great.