Is it possible to increase my chances of having twins?

There are things you can do to improve your chances of having twins, but you may have to rely a lot on Mother Nature when it comes to your baby’s gender and genetics.

Although having IVF treatment increases your chances of getting pregnant with twins, 1 in 250 pregnancies end in twins spontaneously. Learn whether you’re more likely to require a double buggy based on your diet and family size.

How likely am I to have twins?

According to the NHS, twins, triplets, or more are born in the UK nowadays at a rate of roughly 1 in every 65 births. Many fertility specialists think twins are more common than we realise; multiple embryos being implanted is rather normal, but often only one twin survives.

How can I tell if I’m having twins?

Many expecting couples can determine if they are having twins through the 8-week scan or dating ultrasound scan between weeks 8 and 14 weeks, but the NHS advises that there are some additional symptoms to watch out for:

• If you appear larger than you ought to be on dates
• There are twins in your family.
• You’ve undergone IVF.

7 elements that boost your likelihood of having twins

1) Your ancestors’ genealogy

That is, in fact, your past, not his. It doesn’t even matter if your partner’s family includes twins. Because you are the one who produces the eggs, it all depends on you. As a result, you are more likely to become pregnant with multiples if you, your mother, or your sister are twins.

2) Your way of life

Women who consume less fat, especially vegans and vegetarians, are less likely to become pregnant with multiples than those who love whole milk and eat steak every Friday. These varied diets may produce minor hormonal changes in certain people which will cause multiple births. That being said, whether you want to have one baby or two, there are lots of fertility superfoods you may start including in your diet even if you are a vegetarian.

3) Stopping the pill

It’s also believed that getting pregnant while using the pill or shortly after stopping it increases your chance of having twins. The concept behind this notion is that for the first few cycles after stopping the pill, your body goes through a hormonal readjustment and more eggs can be released.

4) How many children you have

Most likely, this is just a matter of chance, but research indicates that the more children you have, the more likely it is that you’ll eventually conceive multiples. Additionally, it is believed that if you previously have twins, your chances of getting pregnant again with more than one baby are increased. Additionally, if you’ve always fallen pregnant in the past, you may simply be a strong ovulator!

5) Your place of origin

One in every 60 pregnancies in Western Europe are twins, compared to significantly less in South East Asia. In contrast, one in twenty or thirty pregnancies in Nigeria results in twins! You’re less likely to conceive multiples if you’re a Nigerian living abroad than if you’re stationed in Nigeria, which is an interesting finding that suggests this has more to do with place and race than race alone. There are no concrete explanations for why this is the case, but it might have something to do with nutrition and/or climate.

6) Mother’s age 

Triplets and twins conceived naturally are more frequent in women in their 30s and 40s. You may release more than one egg each month as a result of the way ovaries function and how they alter with age.

7) Fertility treatment

Getting fertility treatment like IVF is one of the main things that could increase your chances of having more than one baby. It all comes down to your body being given medications to encourage ovulation and the production of eggs. As more than one embryo is frequently implanted, utilising a surrogate could further increase your chances of producing multiples. Although numerous embryos are implanted, the likelihood of multiple births is definitely increased.

Fraternal versus identical (non-identical)

Before we discuss ways to increase your chances of having twins, it’s critical to comprehend how twins develop. There are two kinds of twins—identical and non-identical—as you are possibly aware.

Identical Twins

When one egg is fertilised by one sperm, which divides into two distinct embryos, identical or monozygotic twins are produced. Along with having the same genetic make-up and placenta, they will be visually identical. A DNA test can be used to determine if your twins will be identical.

Non-Identical Twins (also known as Fraternal Twins)

When two different eggs are fertilised by two different sperm, non-identical twins or fraternal twins are created. Both the placentas and the genetic makeup of these twins will be unique. More people have twins of this kind.

So how can I be sure that I will have twins?

In short you can’t as no one has a crystal ball. There is no way to raise the likelihood of naturally occurring twins, despite the fact that some circumstances make having twins more likely. Early in the pregnancy, an ultrasound will typically reveal to the woman whether she is carrying twins.