Many young families dream of having twins. Some go to a geneticist in order to determine the likelihood of a multiple pregnancy, and some immediately seek help from a specialist who is likely to be able to bring them closer to the desired outcome.
Modern views of scientists regarding possible outcomes vary, but world statistics show that the probability of conceiving twins after drug stimulation of ovulation is approximately 7%. How much time and courses of therapy will be required will depend on the individual characteristics of the woman’s body and the condition of her ovaries.
As a rule, the probability of conceiving twins already increases after 2-3 courses of ovarian stimulation, but no one knows how much each individual woman will need, and will depend, among other things, on genetic predisposition and on her reproductive potential. It has long been proven that the likelihood of multiple pregnancies increases in families where there have already been such cases and where it is transmitted through the maternal line.
You need to understand that the procedure for drug stimulation of ovulation is not harmless and that it is not always possible to achieve the desired result, and sometimes you can get a lot of undesirable ones.
The concept of multiple pregnancy will then be correct when it occurs with more than one fetus. This condition can arise in two ways. In the event that two or more eggs mature in a woman’s body at once and fertilization occurs, for example, of two eggs, each with a separate sperm, then the pregnancy will be called fraternal, and fraternal twins (twins) will be born.
In this case, each fetus will have its own placenta and amniotic sac. Or the option is when one egg after fertilization splits into two or more parts, then we need to say that the pregnancy is identical, and identical twins will be born.
In this case, both fetuses can have either a common placenta (monochorionic twins) or different ones (bichorionic twins), and the number of amniotic sacs can be two - each fetus has its own (biamniotic twins), or one common placenta (monoamniotic twins).
Factors that increase the likelihood of multiple pregnancies
Normally, in a woman’s body, only one dominant follicle matures, and the rest undergo atresia. But “miracles” happen when, during the process of ovulation, two mature eggs ready for fertilization are released at once, and it is in such women that the risk of multiple pregnancies increases.
There are a number of factors when two eggs can mature at once, these include:
- Abrupt cancellation of COCs (oral contraceptives). The so-called rebound is an effect when, after stopping taking hormonal drugs, which, on the contrary, suppressed ovulation and thickened cervical mucus, preventing the penetration of sperm, two eggs mature at once.
- Maternal inheritance, which most often occurs across generations.
- Congenital anomaly of the uterus: the presence of a septum in its cavity (bicornuate uterus), duplication of the organ.
- A stimulating effect on ovulatory function, which promotes the maturation of several follicles, and the subsequent release of two or more eggs.
- The woman's age is 33 - 35 years. During this period, there is a “peak” of FSH hormonal activity, which can also stimulate the growth of several follicles at once.
Who are twins
Twins are children whose intrauterine development occurred in different fertilized eggs, i.e. they are heterogeneous. Such children can be born with great external similarity, or they can be different from each other, because one will have the features of the mother, the second - the father. It is also possible to conceive opposite-sex twins. It has been scientifically proven that the birth of twins is a genetically transmitted factor. In the early stages of pregnancy, it is very difficult to determine how many fetuses a woman is carrying. An ultrasound can only determine this when a heartbeat appears.
Twins are different from twins. Traditional medicine does not use the concept of twins. Doctors talk about identical or fraternal twins. If the zygote divides within several days, then the twins will develop in different membranes; if this process occurs later than three days, then in one.
To date, there is no guaranteed working recipe for how to get pregnant with twins, but there are many recommendations for increasing the chance of conceiving twins.
Factors predisposing to twin pregnancy
How to conceive twins? Predisposing factors to the birth of twins are:
- Hereditary factor. The predisposition is transmitted mainly through the maternal line.
- Conception in the first month after stopping hormonal contraceptives (at least six months). The ovulatory function of the ovaries, which has been suppressed for a long time, begins to work in an enhanced mode, as a result of which two germ cells often mature instead of one.
- Age of the expectant mother. The likelihood of conceiving two children at the same time increases in women over 30 years of age.
- Drug stimulation of ovulation. In patients, 2 or 3 eggs may mature at once instead of one.
Genetic predisposition, hormone use and a woman's age are the main predisposing factors for conceiving twins. Each item requires detail.
Hereditary trait
Women who have had twins in their family are more likely to carry two at once. The predisposition to conceiving twins is presumably transmitted through the maternal line and is explained by the presence of the multiple pregnancy gene.
Many women with such heredity are interested in how many generations later can twins be born? As a rule, after one generation. A granddaughter whose grandmother was the mother of twins has a high chance of giving birth to twins.
Taking hormonal medications or stopping them
Stopping hormonal contraceptives before conception may result in the birth of twins. This is the so-called rebound effect, a kind of answer to the question of how to get pregnant with twins. However, you should not try to use it specifically for the purpose of giving birth to two children at once. A woman cannot prescribe or cancel hormonal medications for herself, since any uncontrolled manipulation of hormones can harm women’s health.
Age-related changes in a woman’s body
In women over the age of 30, a hormonal surge is observed in the body - an increase in the concentration of follicle-stimulating hormone is noted. Against the background of changes in its level in the female body, several eggs mature simultaneously. After fertilization, not all zygotes manage to attach to the wall of the uterus, although, of course, gynecologists know cases of simultaneous implantation of two or three eggs.
How to conceive two boys
Not every woman is capable of conceiving twins, since this factor is influenced by several features:
- Age of the expectant mother. According to experts, women who become pregnant after 30 years of age are more likely to carry twins than younger pregnant women.
Genetics influences the possibility of conceiving twins
- Genetic conditioning. It has long been proven that multiple pregnancies are inherited. To date, scientists have not differentiated the gene responsible for conceiving twins, but many years of research have proven the significant influence of heredity on this fact.
- Woman's weight. Scientists have also traced the connection between excess weight and the likelihood of becoming pregnant with twins. It turned out that a woman with more body fat gives birth to twins more often than a woman with less weight.
- Duration of the menstrual cycle. Those who have an average cycle of 21 days can naturally conceive twins or twins.
- Second pregnancy.
Many future parents want to have two boys. There are some ways to conceive twin boys naturally. These include:
- Choosing the right posture. Before ejaculation, it is necessary to take a position with maximum penetration. This is due to the fact that Y-sperm travel a short distance more easily, and their life is prolonged by substances secreted by the vagina after a woman’s orgasm.
- Maintaining a cycle calendar. In order to choose a favorable time for conception, a woman should track the days of ovulation. It is during this period that it is possible to conceive boys.
It is recommended to keep a menstrual cycle calendar
- Stop taking birth control pills. If you suddenly stop taking hormonal contraceptives, the ovaries will begin to actively produce eggs. However, the likelihood of getting pregnant with twins after taking birth control remains an unproven scientific fact.
Read also: about the likelihood of conception while taking oral contraceptives.
In order not to make a mistake with the day of ovulation, you can measure the temperature in the rectum every day for three months and record the data in a calendar, and according to the created table, it is possible to conceive twins naturally.
How do you get twins?
Twins are the result of the fertilization of two different eggs by two sperm. These are two completely different children who were simply conceived, carried and born at the same time. This happens when two or more eggs mature in a woman’s ovaries and are released into the fallopian tube. The ability of the ovaries to produce several eggs in one cycle is inherited only through the female line.
Thus, it is possible to plan the conception of twins by stimulating the maturation of eggs. But is it worth doing this if the female body itself does not provide for bearing twins? After all, the load on the kidneys increases, the likelihood of toxicosis, anemia, and the threat of miscarriage. Therefore, a woman who intends to resort to measures to conceive twins should first be examined and consult with a doctor.
How to conceive two girls
In order for two girls to be conceived, you should also adhere to several rules that do not guarantee, but increase the percentage of probability. Posture plays a role. You should choose a position so that the sperm path is longer. In such a battle, the sperm with female chromosomes will win, since they are more active.
There is an opinion that the gender of future babies is influenced by a woman’s diet. If the expectant mother composes her menu with a predominant content of meat, eggs, fish, salted and smoked foods, the likelihood of becoming pregnant with boys increases. If the menu consists of sweets, fruits, and vegetables, the chances of getting pregnant with girls are higher. However, such a theory has not been confirmed among specialists, so how effective the method is remains to be seen.
To conceive a boy, you need to eat more meat
How to carry twins
So, you found out that you are pregnant, and not just pregnant, but with twins or triplets! We will try to explain how to act in such a situation and what to do in this article.
Such a miracle does not happen often, and just think about how much work and hardship it takes to endure and give birth to one child, and here there are two, or even three, at once! What causes this state of affairs, and under what situation do several babies develop in the womb at once? Turning to various statistics, we see that in Russia, the birth of twins or triplets occurs only in one case out of forty, while in the West this figure is slightly lower, one in fifty cases. This is due to the fact that recently women are increasingly postponing pregnancy until later, when the level of female hormones is much higher, and there is a high probability of two eggs maturing at the same time and, as a result, their fertilization. Another way to conceive twins: identical. When an egg divides early in pregnancy and we end up with two identical twins. Such situations happen in 25 percent out of a hundred, if you estimate the number of twins born in general. These twins are completely identical to each other and look like two peas in a pod, while the remaining 75 percent of twins are no more similar to each other than ordinary brothers or sisters.
A woman may find out that she will have more than one child during her pregnancy at seven to ten weeks. Previously, this period was twenty weeks, but thanks to ultrasound, listening to heart sounds and other modern technologies, this procedure has become much easier.
The pregnancy of a woman carrying several babies is strikingly different from a normal pregnancy. Any doctor, as soon as he determines how many children the expectant mother is expecting, must put her on the list of high-risk pregnant women if the result of the test is twins. Unlike a woman pregnant with one child, a mother of many children should attend various checks and consultations more often, because each such case is unique and template solutions are unacceptable here, everything must be done as clearly, correctly and with the slightest risk for both the expectant mother and the children . For example, such a woman needs to attend preventive examinations almost every week. Such a pregnancy is more risky due to more frequent toxicosis, high levels of hormones and double or even triple load on the heart muscle. Much more often during such pregnancies, women suffer from calcium and iron deficiency. But such a pregnancy is also very likely to proceed normally, and for this it is enough to simply listen to the advice of doctors. The first and main thing that requires careful adherence is a proper diet.
If you are pregnant with twins, there is a lot of pressure on your stomach due to compression from the stretched uterus. Nothing terrible happens, but you should approach your diet more carefully and wisely. You need to divide your entire daily diet into six or even more meals for better absorption. Don't forget about what you eat. During pregnancy, food should not be neutral, but maximally saturated with useful elements and extremely balanced in order to meet not only your needs, but also the needs of developing babies. And the norm of these very useful substances increases two or three times, depending on how many children you are expecting. This means that in order to meet your daily requirement for calcium, you need to drink four instead of the usual two glasses of milk, and so on.
Also, given the possible iron deficiency, a woman pregnant with twins should, in addition to food rich in this element, also consume vitamin complexes, since very often food is simply not enough for the body to receive the required amount of substances, and you are simply not able to eat anymore. Consult your doctor, he will definitely advise you on certain medications. Don’t forget about other elements, because during pregnancy there is no list of their importance. They are all important, because one way or another, each in its own way influences the development of the child in your womb. Eat dried fruits, which are rich in vitamins. Don't forget about grapefruits, which contain the highest concentration of vitamin C, and at the same time it is the least active causative agent of allergies. Don't think that fresh food is everything.
No, you don’t have to spend hours at the stove: involve your husband or friends in the work, buy high-quality semi-finished products and frozen vegetables - it’s all much simpler, more convenient, and in terms of quality you will lose a little, but you will free up quite a lot of time that you can devote to your own health . Try to give yourself a rest whenever possible: take a reclining position and put your feet on an elevation to relieve excess tension from the pelvis and cervix. It makes sense, if you are pregnant with twins or triplets, to go on maternity leave much earlier and spend more time on yourself. Although physical activity is undesirable, it is important to prevent the muscles from atrophying, for which you can go to the pool - after all, swimming is the only safe sport in your case. And don’t be tempted to go to childbirth preparation courses; they simply won’t be able to approach your problem individually, which means it will be harmless at best, and dangerous and fraught with miscarriage at worst.
Remember that multiple pregnancies, due to the great pressure on the uterus, often end in premature birth. Of course, there is nothing wrong with this, but you need to constantly insure yourself and leave the house as little as possible so as not to give birth right on the street. In principle, such women in labor almost always undergo constant observation, since it is very important for the doctor monitoring such a pregnancy to keep the babies in the womb for as long as possible. Women are often afraid to give birth to twins, as there is a myth that such births require a caesarean section. This is not true, and only less often than in every second case is caesarean section actually used, but only when there is a real need: illness of the mother or when one fetus prevents the birth of another.
And another common myth is that the stronger child is born first. Despite the beauty of this fairy tale, it remains just a fairy tale. The order of birth depends only on the location of the fetus, and in general, the second child has a much more difficult time due to the fact that the uterus becomes much more spacious after the birth of the first. Well, as for strength... you should know that each baby from twins from birth is about a kilogram lighter, and accordingly weaker than a child who was born alone. So, dear mothers, read, educate yourself and don’t be afraid of anything!
Is it possible to conceive twins through artificial insemination?
Artificial insemination is a process in which a woman's egg is fertilized in a test tube under the supervision of a team of doctors with previously collected sperm. If the speed of sperm movement suits specialists, they surround the egg with many male reproductive cells. If pathology is present, then the sperm is artificially sent to the egg. The fertilized cell is transferred to the woman's uterus, and as a result it must take root there.
According to statistics, one out of three artificial inseminations is successful.
Therefore, the state standard provides for the implantation of two fertilized eggs at once. Accordingly, there are chances that both zygotes will take root. Pregnancy with twins continues at the request of the parents. If the family is not ready for the birth of two babies, then one fetus is removed.
Not just heredity
Many of us (and this applies to both women and men equally) do not suspect that twins or even triplets in their family are a natural phenomenon and, perhaps, common in past generations. The only trouble is that we practically don’t know our ancestors; it’s good if we remember the names of our great-grandmothers and great-grandfathers. In addition, unfortunately, not every pregnancy ends in a normal birth. There could have been miscarriages and abortions in the family, which happened precisely during multiple pregnancies, and, naturally, in this case, too, no one knew about such a predisposition.
However, not only heredity can cause multiple pregnancies. For example, the use of hormonal contraceptives also often promotes the maturation of two eggs in the ovary. And of course, in vitro, that is, artificial, fertilization, which has already become almost commonplace, when not even stimulation is performed, but hyperstimulation of ovulation, in which several eggs are fertilized at once and several embryos (so that at least someone survives!) are implanted into the uterus.
Source: Source: instagram @alekseeva_yd
What are the reasons for the formation of several eggs?
Heredity can determine the maturation of two eggs in a woman at the same time. This phenomenon is explained as multiple ovulation, which significantly increases the chances of double conception.
Hormonal stimulation of the ovaries can lead to the production of two eggs
Another common reason why a woman produces several eggs is hormonal therapy aimed at stimulating the functioning of the ovaries. Under the influence of these medications, two or more eggs are released from the follicle; if sperm subsequently penetrate them, a multiple pregnancy occurs. Current statistics show that about 35 percent of such pregnancies occur as a result of hormone therapy.
There are cases when a second pregnancy occurs already with a recent first conception, i.e., for unknown reasons, ovulation did not stop with the onset of pregnancy, and re-fertilization occurs.
It has been noted that women who do not give birth until the age of 30 often have several eggs mature. This phenomenon is not a pathology, but is considered to be a natural factor.
Also, factors such as irregular sex life, frequent stress, and frequent consumption of products containing estrogen provoke the simultaneous maturation of several eggs. Scientists say that every woman experiences at least one double ovulation throughout her life. It is impossible to determine it by sensations, because the same signs are characteristic of any ovulation.
To learn how to conceive twins, watch this video:
Who is more likely to have twins?
There are also some observations that allow us to judge who is more likely to give birth to twins. For example, the older a woman is, the more likely she is to conceive twins. If for women from 20 to 30 years old they are 3%, then for women from 30 to 40 years old they double. Twins are more often born to women who already have children or who become pregnant while breastfeeding. Overweight women are more likely to have twins than thin women. The likelihood of conceiving twins increases in couples with high sexual activity.
