One placenta always identical?

When my boys were born my OB sent the placenta away for testing to determine if they were identical or franternal. At my six week appt, she told me they were identical. I guess I was so sleep-deprived that I did not ask too many questions about how they came to that conclusion. I know that two placentas can sometimes fuse and look like one on ultrasound, so I am assuming they tested the placenta to make sure it really was one placenta (which it looked like through the whole pregnancy on ultrasound). Anyway, does one placenta always mean they are identical? Is there any other accurate test she could've done on the placenta to determine they are indeed identical? My DH and I are always wondering if they might be fraternal, because they look so different to us. I do have some strangers come up to me and say, "Wow, they are sure identical!" and some who say, "They do look different." Also, one of our boys wears glasses and one does not need them. I just wonder about the accuracy of the test they did and think we may need to get the DNA test just to be sure.

Thanks!

 

When my boys were born my OB sent the placenta away for testing to determine if they were identical or franternal. At my six week appt, she told me they were identical. I guess I was so sleep-deprived that I did not ask too many questions about how they came to that conclusion. I know that two placentas can sometimes fuse and look like one on ultrasound, so I am assuming they tested the placenta to make sure it really was one placenta (which it looked like through the whole pregnancy on ultrasound). Anyway, does one placenta always mean they are identical? Is there any other accurate test she could've done on the placenta to determine they are indeed identical? My DH and I are always wondering if they might be fraternal, because they look so different to us. I do have some strangers come up to me and say, "Wow, they are sure identical!" and some who say, "They do look different." Also, one of our boys wears glasses and one does not need them. I just wonder about the accuracy of the test they did and think we may need to get the DNA test just to be sure.

Thanks!

 

I was going to say what you said and that's that 2 can fuse and look like 1. What I don't know is whether or not the pathologist actually tests to determine if it's really 1 or really 2 that fused?? I had 2 of everything so I don't have any experience there.

 

Even if they are identical and in the same sack there still can be mutations in the dna(the cause for glasses). I have probably one of the most different sets of id twins here (at their age). Jazzy is 31 inches and 22lbs and has asthma and can walks. Jessy is 29 inches 18lbs has a heart murmur, a limp when you help her walk. Once the eggs are seperate there is no telling what can happen!

 

one placenta always means identical. if there were really two fused together, they would have seen it during the testing. if yours were born early, that can also cause some retinal problems that could cause one to need glasses and not the other.

 

The test they run is to physically examine the mass to see if they find a dividing membrane running through that would indicate two placentas had overlapped. The test's accuracy depends on the skill of the person performing the examination. Of course, even if there are two placentas, that does not always mean they are fraternal.

ID twins are not photocopies of each other. There are always differences that may or may not be subtle. One of mine has a rounder head while the other is more oval and this changes the shape of their faces just enough that it's obvious to me. Other people seem to have trouble and I wonder sometimes how they can miss it.

 

one placneta mean ID but you should do a dna test to get positive results.
Our girls had 2 separate sacs and placentas but DNA test came back ID. Early on in the pregnancy the placentas were separate but at the end they fused. My OBGYN told me they couldn't tell with pathology if there were in fact one or two placentas. I knew 2 and with that they told me they were fraternal.
Little did I know, that 2 placentas can still be ID. So we did a DNA test and they are in fact ID twin girls.

 

Thanks everyone! I know that even identical twins are definitely different people, and can develop and act totally differently. My little guys are like day and night! They have such different personalities and I can even tell who is crying over the monitor most of the time. When they were born one stayed in the NICU for three weeks, while the other one came home with me. They havae definitely developed and acted differently since the beginning. Most people do think they look identical, but I guess since I know them so well I don't really think they look anything alike. I am pretty sure they are ID, but I think a DNA test would just be definite answer to the question I have been wanting.