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What you need to eat to conceive twins: the secret diet
And which couples are more likely to have twins – is it true that it is in the genes?
“Yes, no one in my family or my husband had twins,” expectant mothers are surprised when the doctor informs them on an ultrasound scan that the baby will not be alone. It is really stressful for young parents to find out that there will be two or even three children at once. The chance of conceiving twins naturally is one in ninety, which is very small. And this probability does not always depend on genetics. From what – we learned from an expert.
From time immemorial, the birth of twins was considered the greatest mystery. “Nothing strikes me as attractive as the similarities and differences of twins,” said Charles Darwin. Today, twins are actively studied, trying to understand the laws of heredity. There is even a special science that deals with this – gemellology.
Mom is a superwoman
Scientists believe that the birth of twins is still based on a genetic component. According to the pattern identified by American scientists, the frequency of birth of twins before the advent of assisted reproductive technologies was as follows:
double – 1 of 90,
triple – 1 in 8100,
quadruples – 1 in 729,
fives – 1 in 65.
In the Guinness Book of Records there is an Argentinean Leontina Espinoza. She herself is a twin, one of the triplets. Leontina gave birth to 57 children in her life: 9 triplets, 11 twins, 8 “singles”. Not everyone managed to survive: six kids died.
It’s about genes
In a new study by the Free University of Amsterdam, scientists have identified two genes associated with the birth of dizygotic, that is, fraternal twins.
One gene – GSHB – encodes an increased production of follicle-stimulating hormone. An increased level of this hormone promotes the production of more eggs that mature in one menstrual cycle. Therefore, it can be called the “hyperovulation” gene.
Another gene – SMAD3 – regulates the response of the ovary to follicle-stimulating hormone, forming hypersensitivity of the ovary to the effects of normal FSH levels.
According to the theory of hyperovulation, this ability is inherited through the female line. If the carrier of the gene is a man, then his daughter will develop the gene, and she can become the mother of twins.
If a woman has both of these genes, then more than one egg is fertilized in one menstrual cycle. This increases the chances of having twins by nearly 30 percent. And this is not the only factor that affects the likelihood of multiple pregnancies.
What else influences
If the expectant mother herself from twins, then she is 2,5 times more likely to conceive twins. If a woman is already became a mother of twins, then in the next pregnancy the probability that she will again be able to conceive twins is 3-4 times more than that of an ordinary woman.
There is also an age aspect, in which a woman also plays a role in the occurrence of multiple pregnancies. The older the expectant mother, the higher the chance of getting a multiple pregnancy. Here, the same high level of FSH, which rises with age and can lead to hyperovulation, can be affected.
Now comes the fun part. Turns out, diet matters toobut not for everyone. In women with a genetic predisposition to having twins, the chances of having twins are significantly increased by consuming dairy products.
According to the work of the American doctor Gary Steiman, women who completely refuse dairy products are five times less likely to give birth to twins than omnivores and vegetarians who consume milk. In countries that traditionally consume a lot of dairy products, more twins are usually born. So, if you crave to give birth to twins, lean on cheese and cottage cheese. Who knows if you also have these magical genes in you too?