8 Interesting And Fun Facts You Didn’t Know About Twins

by Alexandria Ingham

Multiple births are in the news all the time. In fact, the UK news has been full of a couple who has had three sets of twins and a woman who gave birth to quintuplets without fertility help! Twins are fascinating and there are a lot of questions and suspicion surrounding them. Here are some interesting and fun facts about them.

1. Male Twins Won’t Necessarily Have Twins

It has always been said that twins run in the family but it is really only in the female side of the family.

Two eggs (or one egg that splits) must occur for twins and if a woman doesn’t have the genetic predisposition to have twins then they won’t happen.

2. Identical Twins Are Not Genetic

If a woman has identical twins, they will not necessarily have them. Twins are genetic – due to the woman have the ability to release two eggs.

Identical twins occur because the egg splits in two but this is not something that is genetic.

3. Twins Have Different Fingerprints

Identical twins have the same DNA, which is the makeup for our looks, eye colour and fingerprints.

However, the fingerprints are different between the two are completely different. There is nothing to state why this happens.

4. Vanishing Twins

While carrying twins, a woman is 15%-20% likely to lose one of them. There is no clear reason why this happens as miscarriages and stillbirths are still being researched.

Due to the early miscarriages, experts are suggesting that one in eight people actually start their life in the womb as a twin without the mother ever knowing.

5. Twins Are Born Early

More than 50% of twins are born at the 37 week mark. This is three weeks earlier than the expected due date but is still considered full term.

The average weight of twins is 5lbs 5oz.

6. A Different Language

Around 40% of twins will develop their own language.

This helps them communicate easily when they are young and also means that they can talk to each other without people knowing what they are saying.

It also shows the close bond that the two have together.

7. Twins Can Have Different Dads

The term twin usually refers to babies that are born at the same time. It is possible for them to have different dads. This occurs when two eggs are released at the same time but are fertilised with different sperm.

Between one and two percent of twins will have different fathers and they can be different races!

8. Twins Can Have Different Birthdays

It is possible for twins to be born on different days. The second baby will not always follow the first one right away and can take an extra hour or two.

In very rare cases, babies can be born days or even months apart depending on medical issues. There have been cases of twins born years apart due to fertilisation happening outside of the womb for help with fertility.

This is very rare though.

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