Why does chance of twins increase with age

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What factors increase the odds of having twins? This is primarily because more women are seeking help with getting pregnant. A woman's diet may also result in a higher chance of having twins.

Some research indicates that women who have no dairy in their diets and consider themselves vegan may increase their chances of having twins. This may be attributed to the growth hormones found in milk that may play a role in reproduction. There is also some belief that yams could increase a woman's chances of having twins. This study was done in Nigeria where the twinning rate is the highest in the world. The findings are based on the belief that yams have a natural hormone phytoestrogen, which may stimulate multiple ovulation, resulting in twins.

Do taller women have a greater chance of having twins? That depends on who you ask. One study found that women with an average height of 5 foot 5 inches had a greater chance of having multiple births than women who were a bit shorter. When you're talking about how to get pregnant with twins, besides height, weight is also looked at. A study found that women with a BMI of 30 or more were more likely to conceive twins than women with a lower BMI.

Women are not encouraged to try to gain weight to increase their chances of having twins. Being overweight while you're pregnant can negatively impact your pregnancy. A woman's racial background may also affect a woman's chances of getting pregnant with twins. CDC statistics show that the rate of twin pregnancies in African-American women is higher than in white women. Also, Asian and Hispanic women tend to have lower rates of twin pregnancies than women in other groups.

All pregnant women are urged to take folic acid to help with a baby's brain development. Folic acid can help to reduce the chances of neural tube effects like spina bifida. Can breastfeeding increase your chances of having twins?

One study found that women who breastfeed had an 11 percent chance of having twins compared to just one percent of women who don't breastfeed. It's important to realize that women can not only get pregnant while breastfeeding but also get pregnant with twins.

Identical twins Identical twins come from a single egg that was fertilized by a single sperm, which then divided into two separate embryos very early in the pregnancy. Since both started out as the same cell, they share the same DNA. This is why they often look identical!

And they will always be the same sex, either both boys or both girls. The chances of having identical twins is relatively rare: 3 or 4 per every 1, births. Image from Wikimedia. Fraternal twins Fraternal twins result when two different eggs are fertilized, each by a different sperm cell.

This can happen when a woman produces several eggs most often two at the same time. This is called hyperovulation. They can be two boys, two girls, or a boy and a girl. And they may or may not look alike, just like brothers and sisters born years apart! Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen are fraternal twins! As far as we know, identical twins are completely random! Most of the time, the cause of identical twins is unknown. There are some genes that predispose women to hyperovulation releasing multiple eggs.

The genes for hyperovulation can be inherited! Age Older women generally have a higher chance of conceiving twins. A 35 year old woman is about 4 times more likely to have fraternal twins than a 15 year old!

That is because they are experiencing some hormonal changes as they near menopause. If two or more are fertilized and both implant, you might just need two cribs in your nursery. Taller women seem to have a higher rate of having twins. This may sound a bit strange, but researchers credit a certain insulin-like growth factor with this possibility.

Women who have overweight or obesity also have a higher chance of conceiving twins naturally. Specifically, the chances are highest if your body mass index BMI is above 30, according to a study that looked at data from more than 51, births in the United States. A later study in that analyzed maternal characteristics among women in Norway said rates of twins increased among women with BMI above Having a BMI over 30 may also place you in the high-risk category of pregnancy, so talk to your doctor about a healthy weight for you before getting pregnant.

Black women deliver twins at a higher rate than white women, according to birth statistics in the United States. But Asian and Hispanic women deliver twins at a lower rate than the other groups. This may occur because women who eat dairy may be taking in extra insulin growth factor. The cows release this hormone into their milk and — when consumed — it may influence human reproduction. And little research if any regarding dairy intake affecting twin birth rate has been completed since.

He or she may be the reason you end up having twins. A previous pregnancy — or, better yet, previous multiple pregnancies — may increase your chances of having twins. In fact, according to the , women between the ages of 35 to 40 with four or more children are three times more likely to have twins than a woman under 20 without children. Clomiphene citrate Clomid and letrozole Femara are ovulation-stimulating medications. Both of these drugs are often given in IUI cycles and may help the body produce multiple eggs that may release at the same time.

If two or more are fertilized and implant, twins are a possibility. In one study , the rate of twins with Clomid was 7. Femara had a lower rate of just 3. Gonadotropins, like follicle stimulating hormone FSH , stimulate the growth of egg follicles.