Got Twins?

Many people think that having twins is either by chance or, as a result of fertility treatments, and while those factors are true, there are other elements you can count on as well.

One- If You Have a History
If twins run in your family then fraternal twins may be in your future!

Two- If You Are Overweight OR Tall
Recent research has found that mothers with a Body Mass Index, or BMI of 30 or higher, or women who were above average in height were significantly more likely to have fraternal twins.

Three- If You Are Middle Aged
Older mothers are more likely to conceive twins than younger moms, in fact, 17 % of mothers who are over the age of 45 have multiples. The odds increase to 1 in 9 for moms in five MORE years. However, as you also likely know, the odds of risk also go up significantly, and it is not recommended to have children at such a late age.

Four- If You Have Twins Already
Once you have already had a multiple pregnancy, you are much more likely to conceive twins again. It has been estimated that mothers of multiples are 4X more likely to have twins than those who haven't.

Five- If You Eat Yams & Dairy
The Yoruba tribe in West Africa has the highest rate of twinning in the world, and studies have concluded that the women's diets were the cause, being that they were high in cassava, a type of yam or sweet potato. An additional study conducted in 2006 found that women who consume dairy are 5X as likely to have twins.

Six- If You Have/ Want a LOT of kids The more kids you have the more likely you are to have twins.

Seven- If You Are Breastfeeding
Many women and men alike falsely believe that breastfeeding is the all natural birth control, and that it keeps a woman from ovulating. However, research has supported the theory that the chance of twins or multiple births is actually increased if a woman conceives while breast feeding.

Eight- If You Are On The Pill
If You are the .01 percent that gets pregnant while on the pill, look out, it might be twins. Or, if you wanted twins, I guess you might get lucky.

Nine- If You Are On Fertility Drugs
The drugs that stimulate ovulation can often times lead to multiple births, and they can also occur as a result of In Vitro Fertilization, or IVF