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If you're wondering whether or not you're carrying twins (or more!), you're not alone. With the incidence of twins increasing dramatically over the past two decades, many expecting moms wonder if two babies might be on the way. Find out the common signs and symptoms of twin pregnancy and then learn more from "been there, done that" moms on the Pregnant with Multiples message board.
Trying to Conceive: Are You Ahead of the Game?
Age matters. One reason for the increased incidence of multiple births in the United States is the trend toward delaying pregnancy. The incidence of twins increases for women over the age of 35 and even more if you are over 50. To put it in perspective, your chance of giving birth to twins if you are under 25 years of age is less than half of what it would be after the age of 35.
The odds of twins increase with the use of assisted reproductive technology. Both ovulation-inducing drugs (infertility treatment) and in-vitro fertilization increase the odds of having twins. Between 1973 and 1990, twin births increased at twice the rate of singletons, and triplet and higher order births increased at seven times the rate of singletons. (Obstetrics and Gynecology 1994; 84:101-6)
Twins may run in your family. Even before diagnosis of pregnancy, you may suspect that you are at an increased risk of conceiving twins. Fraternal (dizygotic) twins may run in the family, and, contrary to popular belief, they do not necessarily skip a generation. If your mother or grandmother had twins, you may be carrying a gene that causes you to release more than one egg at a time, making it more likely that you will have twins.
