8 Surprising Things That Increase Your Chances Of Having Twins
The idea of having twins is a fond thought for many Nigerian women because we just love children! Clearly, not everyone can have twins, however, certain facts may be an eye-opener for you, if you wish to increase your chances of having twins.
This article highlights the predisposing factors for having twins naturally, without any medical interventions. Fertility treatments like Clomid, Gonal-F, and Follistim make it more likely you’ll conceive multiples, but also, your height, age, and even family history can increase your odds of birthing more than one. If you would like to evaluate your odds of having twins without fertility treatment, the following information will be of help to you.
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1. Age:
Women over 30-years-of-age are likely to conceive multiples. The human reproduction journal discovered that women above the age of 35 possess higher levels of follicle-stimulating hormone that can cause them to release more than one egg at a time!
That information is somewhat ironic, considering that increased FSH is also due to lowering fertility. But sometimes, the follicles overreact to the higher FSH levels, and two or more eggs are released, resulting in a twin pregnancy. What is certain according to experts is that women above 30 are more likely to have twins.
2. Weight
Ideally, overweight women are more likely to have difficulty conceiving, and many times shedding a few pounds significantly improves the fertility of obese women. However, an increased Body mass index (BMI) up to 30 or higher has been linked to the conception of twins.
According to experts, extra fat leads to increased levels of estrogen. The higher levels of estrogen can lead to overstimulation of the ovaries. Instead of releasing just one egg at ovulation, the ovaries may release two or more.
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3. Height
Women who are taller than average are more likely to have twins. One study found that women averaging 164.8 cm in height (about 5′ 4.8″) were more likely to conceive twins than women averaging 161.8 cm (about 5′ 3.7″).
Why this happens isn’t clear, but one theory is that better nutrition (which may lead to more height) is partially behind the increased rate of twins.
4. Number Of Children
Turns out the number of children you have already had is a plus if you are hoping to have twins. Twins are more common in women who have had many pregnancies and have large families.
5. Race
Yes, race- you read right! Black women are more likely to conceive twins than Caucasian women. Asian women are the least likely to conceive twins. And don’t forget, there’s an unproven but widely acknowledged claim that a community in Oyo State, south-west, Nigeria has the highest rate for twin births in the world!
6. Breastfeeding
Mums who conceive while breastfeeding are more likely to conceive twins than women who are not. It’s true that breastfeeding can also suppress fertility and prevent pregnancy, specifically during a baby’s first six months if the baby is exclusively breastfed.
However, it is possible to get pregnant when breastfeeding, in fact, many mums have gone ahead to get pregnant—and with twins!
7. Diet
While research is still ongoing, some studies have found that women who eat a lot of dairy products are more likely to conceive twins. One theory is that the growth hormones given to cows affect the hormone levels in humans.
8. Family History:
A family history of identical twins does not make it more likely you’ll have multiples. However, if you have fraternal twins (non-identical) in your family, your chances of conceiving twins rise. If there are fraternal twins on both the mother and father’s side, your odds for twins goes up even higher.