when did you find out if the twins were identical or fraternal?

Discussion in 'Pregnancy Help' started by debby12766, Dec 7, 2006.

  1. debby12766

    debby12766 Well-Known Member

    Hello all and happy holidays,

    I am expecting twin girls in early May (meaning they come out in April) and although I've had the CVS and all sorts of genetic testing, they don't know if they're identical or fraternal. How long did it take you to find out? (PS: My placentas may be fused or adjacent but they can't tell how many there are by looking on the u/s)

    Thanks for any info!
     
  2. debby12766

    debby12766 Well-Known Member

    Hello all and happy holidays,

    I am expecting twin girls in early May (meaning they come out in April) and although I've had the CVS and all sorts of genetic testing, they don't know if they're identical or fraternal. How long did it take you to find out? (PS: My placentas may be fused or adjacent but they can't tell how many there are by looking on the u/s)

    Thanks for any info!
     
  3. Heathermomof5

    Heathermomof5 Well-Known Member

    from what I understand - you may have to wait until birth -
    at that time they will check the placenta(s) but even then if they can't tell you may have to do the dna testing -
    hopefully someone more experienced than me will post!!!

    CONGRATULATIONS on your babies!!
     
  4. SilvrHeart

    SilvrHeart Well-Known Member

    They strongly suspected identical at our first ultrasound (6w) then were even more sure at the second (10w). Yesterday we met with the MFM for another ultrasound and NTS (11w) and she said she's almost 100% sure they're identical. I suppose anything can happen, but at this point we're pretty confident we've got identicals.
     
  5. Boni

    Boni Well-Known Member

    Because i had a misscarriage due to an ectopic pregnancy I had my first scan very early at 6 weeks. We could cleary see two different amniotic sacs. At the next scan 12 weeks, the babies were lying in such a way with their sacs next to each other that the doc got confussed for a min and thought the girls to be identical with their own placentas. So it is difficult to determine really late into a twin pregnancy. But ours are def fraternal.
     
  6. Soon-2-BMomof3

    Soon-2-BMomof3 Well-Known Member

    At our last u/s we were told that we would have to wait until they are born to find out for sure. I assume they are fraternal because I have a family history of fraternal twins, but who knows. At the first u/s (9w) she thought there were two placentas, but couldn't tell for sure. At the last one she said she still thinks there are two, but they are really close together (may already be fusing). My understanding is that even if they are identical they can have seperate placentas so it is really hard to tell in that case. I am already making plans on how to tell them apart in the begining anyway. I think I will have problems with that regardless of whether they are identical or not, unless one has really dark hair and one has no hair (like my son did). I don't really know what to expect.
     
  7. Raneysmama

    Raneysmama Well-Known Member

    Because of my past pregnancy history, I had ultrasounds early on. We found out it was twins again at 7 weeks. At 9 weeks, it looked like they had one chorion and two amniotic sacs (identical). It was confirmed at 10.5 weeks at the peri's that they are sharing a placenta, so are definitely identical. Did you have any early ultrasounds? If not, it is often harder to tell. If there are two placentas, they could be either identical or fraternal. If their blood types are different (something you can find out at birth) they are definitely fraternal. Many people with two placentas choose to wait a while on the DNA testing (it can be expensive), because often as their babies start growing up, it becomes obvious that they look nothing alike. If they do look the same you can have the DNA testing done.
     
  8. Mellizos

    Mellizos Well-Known Member

    quote:
    But ours are def fraternal.


    2 sacs and 2 placentas do not make them fraternal. The only way to know in utero is if they are boy/girl. Same sex twins with 2 of everything can still be identical.
     
  9. stephsboys

    stephsboys Well-Known Member

    My dd found out they were identical at 6w and confirmed at 8w by the MFM. She only had one placenta, ensuring that they were identical. In fact they couldn't find the membrane seperating them to they were thought to be monoamniotic for a while..
    Lindy mom to Stephanie and Nana to
    Cameron and Corey
     
  10. Mommyof 2tg and 1ds

    Mommyof 2tg and 1ds Well-Known Member

    The moment I saw them together, they were obviously fraternal.
     
  11. Melina

    Melina Well-Known Member

    We weren;t sure til an ultrasound showed A had a vagina and B had a penis. They have two of everything, but that can also happen with ID. I have a slight family history of frats and my ovaries showed I had clearly ovulated at least twice, so it increased the chances, but until we knew the genders, it was anyone's guess.
     
  12. Mommy2PJ

    Mommy2PJ Well-Known Member

    They're about 99% sure mine are identical - because they're sharing a placenta and because I was borderline with TTTS, which can't be present unless they're identical. Of course they're never 100% sure until you deliver, cause two placentas could look like one if they're fused... but we're pretty sure ours are ID. so I guess we found at at 21 weeks from Dr. Quintero.
     
  13. Melina

    Melina Well-Known Member

    By two of everything I mean they each have their own placentas and sacs.
     
  14. Eimear

    Eimear Well-Known Member

    We are pretty much sure ours are ID. We had two u/s at 8 and 12 weeks and only saw one sac/one baby so when we had our 20week and found another baby and then a very thin membrane between them Dr. said mono/di's [​IMG]
     
  15. witmuch

    witmuch Well-Known Member

    i was told at my 5 week U/S that mine are fraternal twins. there are two sacs, two placentas. but i will definately keep an eye out for the posibility of identicals just in case. my husband is so affraid of having 2 boys or 2 girls because he doesn't want to mix them up. i had to laugh at him. and i told him that it would be ok and that with his skills of intense investigating that he would know the difference in no time. Lots of love!
    meshell
     
  16. First Snow

    First Snow Member

    Hi,
    I found out my identical twins during my 8 weeks ultrasound.
    The doctor was sure that I am having identical twins. Then
    I went to the specialist to confirm the following week,
    they also told me that they are ID two sacs.
    So i am wondering maybe if you have an early ultrasound, they
    can tell. but if you wait until passing 11 weeks, it is hard
    to tell. I am little confused myself.
    Hope everything will go well!!
    Esha
     
  17. starchaser

    starchaser Well-Known Member

    We found out that the boys were identical at my very first u/s(6 wks)They shared a placenta, adn outer sac. Mono-di twins. Best of luck and take care!
     
  18. Cristina

    Cristina Well-Known Member

    My boys were di/di and I have a history of fraternal (a lot of them) in my family, so I was told they were fraternal while pregnant. Lo and behold, they are not. They are ID. 30% of di/di are identical. We found out when they were 4 months old with a DNA test...
     
  19. debid

    debid Well-Known Member

    Ours were obviously di/di -- they implanted as far apart as is physically possible. The doctor said "probably fraternal". When they were 5 months, she saw them again and said she wasn't so sure anymore. Their pedi thinks they're identical. Really, the only person who is sure they are fraternal is DH and since he's dead set against testing, we still don't know for certain.
     
  20. debby12766

    debby12766 Well-Known Member

    Thanks so much to everyone for your help. It confuses me to no end, but I will look into DNA testing. Thank you and happy, healthy holiday wishes to everyone!

    deb
     
  21. Meximeli

    Meximeli Well-Known Member

    quote:
    Originally posted by Mommyof 2g and 1vcb:
    The moment I saw them together, they were obviously fraternal.



    That's what I thought too. Womb position can affect their head and face shape, once they start growing, they lost those differences.But by three months they had started to look alike. By 6 months, most people couldn't tell them apart. By 9 months, I couldn't tell them apart when they were sleeping. PLUS I have a family history of faternal which made us think all through the pregnancy they'd be faternals. Surprise Surprise.

    Oh by the way, I had an ultrasound at 4.5 weeks! And it showed two completely separate (though right next to each other) little beans, but they are still monozygotic. A good twin pregnancy book can help you become an expert on Twinning. I had Everything you Need to Know to Have a Healthy Twin Pregnancy.
     
  22. BaaRamEwe

    BaaRamEwe Well-Known Member

    I found out my girls were identical at my 6 week post partum appt. My OB sent the placenta to the lab after delivery and he gave me the results at the appt. We suspected all along they were identical but we didn't know for sure.
     
  23. mom23cuties

    mom23cuties Well-Known Member

    Uh.....I didn't find out until they were born [​IMG]
     
  24. Jennifer P

    Jennifer P Well-Known Member

    We still don't know. My ob said frat because they are di-di. I just haven't gotten around to testing them. They have the same blood type and everyone has mixed them up at least once! There have been times that my MIL will tell DH that she knows who is who...and he argues with her..then when I come home he has to ask me who's who.....

    I've even gotten them confused before. The only real way to tell who's who is by listening to their hearts (ashley has a heart murmur).
     
  25. DBist77

    DBist77 Well-Known Member

    when i found out I was pregnant and went in for the U/S to check everything out was when I found out I was having twins as well as I found out that they were FRATENAL. My U/S doctor told us that if there is a thick line on the U/S they are usually fraternal. If there is a paper thin line, they are usually identical.


    stacia
     
  26. Jennifer P

    Jennifer P Well-Known Member

    quote:
    Originally posted by DBist77:
    when i found out I was pregnant and went in for the U/S to check everything out was when I found out I was having twins as well as I found out that they were FRATENAL. My U/S doctor told us that if there is a thick line on the U/S they are usually fraternal. If there is a paper thin line, they are usually identical.


    stacia


    um that only means that there are 2 seperate placentas.
    It still won't tell you for sure that they are fraternal.
     
  27. Cristina

    Cristina Well-Known Member

    quote:
    My U/S doctor told us that if there is a thick line on the U/S they are usually fraternal. If there is a paper thin line, they are usually identical.


    Well, that is not always true. Most doctors used to think that before DNA became more available.. My boys are a perfect example.
     
  28. IVFmommy2b

    IVFmommy2b Well-Known Member

    I thought mine were fraternal because I did invitro and they put in two embryos. But apparently according to all these posts, that may not be true. If one embryo died and the other one split I guess they could be identical. All this time I thought they were fratenal becaue in the ultrasounds they each have their own placenta! I'm confused!
     
  29. CanyonsMommy

    CanyonsMommy Active Member

    They were never sure while I was pregnant, and said they would know when I delivered. They were still not sure when I delivered, so they had the placenta tested and told me a week later when I went in to get my staples out. Turned out to be identical for us, but we had no clue the entire time!!!!
     
  30. Ali M

    Ali M Well-Known Member

    We found out at 19 weeks because the girls had TTTS and that can only happen to identicals. It's actually hard to tell whether or not the babies are identical or fraternal for sure by u/s. If they are boy/girl, have TTTS, are monoamniotic, or you had a really early u/s then you can tell but, otherwise, it's just a guess.
     
  31. COMamabear

    COMamabear Well-Known Member

    We found out just after birth - different blood types!
     
  32. DBist77

    DBist77 Well-Known Member

    quote:
    Originally posted by Jennifer P:
    quote:
    Originally posted by DBist77:
    when i found out I was pregnant and went in for the U/S to check everything out was when I found out I was having twins as well as I found out that they were FRATENAL. My U/S doctor told us that if there is a thick line on the U/S they are usually fraternal. If there is a paper thin line, they are usually identical.


    stacia


    um that only means that there are 2 seperate placentas.
    It still won't tell you for sure that they are fraternal.


    I thought when you had 2 placentas they were fraternal and one placenta they were identical.
     
  33. Cristina

    Cristina Well-Known Member

    quote:
    I thought when you had 2 placentas they were fraternal and one placenta they were identical.


    If that were true, my boys would be fraternal! [​IMG] 30% of identicals do not share a placentas..
     
  34. 3under2

    3under2 Well-Known Member

    quote:
    My U/S doctor told us that if there is a thick line on the U/S they are usually fraternal. If there is a paper thin line, they are usually identical.



    This is definitely not 100% accurate by any means. My girls were di/di with a super thin line separating them and my peri was so sure they were ID. We had no doubts when they were born that they were definitely fraternal. They don't even look related and they have different blood types.
     
  35. Mellizos

    Mellizos Well-Known Member

    quote:
    quote:
    My U/S doctor told us that if there is a thick line on the U/S they are usually fraternal. If there is a paper thin line, they are usually identical.

    This is definitely not 100% accurate by any means. My girls were di/di with a super thin line separating them and my peri was so sure they were ID. We had no doubts when they were born that they were definitely fraternal. They don't even look related and they have different blood types.


    Another similar case here. We fund twins at the 22 week ultrasound. They told us one placenta, mo/di twins. At my one visit to the peri, she had such a hard time finding the dividing line between the sacs that I'm sure my blood pressure shot up. The peri also told us they were mo/di identicals. In the end, they are fraternal. Di/di, fused placenta. They have different blood types and look nothing alike (different hair and eye color) so there is no doubt they are fraternal.
     
Loading...

Share This Page