It is indeed a double blessing for the parents who are having twins but you can not ignore that it is a double responsibility to take good care of the twins. Although raising twins can seem tough at times, there are also some amazing things about having twins. Fraternal twins are quite common and they do not share the same genes. Here Preschool teachers have shared some amazing and surprising facts about the fraternal twins.

What Are Fraternal Twins?

Fraternal twins are non-identical who are either of a pair of twins who are genetically distinct and not necessarily of the same sex. They develop in the womb after some special adaptations during fetal growth.

Dizygotic twins are the scientific name for fraternal twins. ‘Di’ suggests two, and ‘zygotes’ suggests impregnated eggs. Fraternal twins have two different amniotic sacks and a separate placenta in the womb. Medically this is termed as dichorionic-diamniotic. The two different sacks make sure the twins have equal chances of survival.

How Are Fraternal twins Formed?

In a fraternal twin pregnancy, the first step that occurs is two eggs are fertilized by the same sperm and produce two genetically different fetuses. They share only 50% of the DNA, making them siblings who could have also been born years apart.

What Increases the Chances of Fraternal Twins?

According to the doctors of Anaheim CA, pregnancy with fraternal twins depends on the mother’s genetic side, and apart from this, many other factors increase the chances of having fraternal twins. You can see some of them listed below here.

• If the mother’s age is more than 30, the chances are higher. This due to what is known as the hormone FSH or follicle-stimulating hormone, which releases two eggs.
• The mother’s genetic background and if there is any occurrence of non-identical twins in the family.
• Women with BMI over 30, are more likely to have twins than the ones with a healthier BMI.
• The number of earlier pregnancies and large families also increases the possibility of having fraternal twins.
• You would be surprised to know that breastfeeding women are more likely to have twins than women who are not.
• Various fertility treatments can also increase the likelihood of having non-identical twins.

How Do Fraternal Twins Look Like?

Do fraternal twins look the same? It can be yes or no. As they share 50% DNA, they look similar just like any other siblings. It is quite normal for the fraternal twins that they look similar as they are born at the same time and grow up together.

Risk factors of Having Dizygotic Twins :

If you are pregnant with fraternal twins, you need to be cognizant of the many risks involved with this.

• Low birth weight of the baby
• Intrauterine Growth Restriction
• Higher Pregnancy Induced Hypertension
• Miscarriage
• Chances of premature birth

Some Surprising Facts About Non-Identical Pregnancy :

Here you can find some amazing facts about fraternal twins which you may not be aware of.

• They can be of different gender or same.
• They may not look alike since they share only 50% of the DNA.
• They will have different characteristics.
• They can be conceived at different times and with different fathers.