How To Conceive Twins Naturally: Can You Increase Your Chances Of Having Twins Without Fertility Treatments?
When I find out that I have twins, I am usually confronted with unpleasant comments. "Better you than me!"You have your hands full!” or "Double Trouble!"
If I had to generalize, I would definitely say that the general consensus (at the Target box office at least) is that twins are NOT something to strive for.
Anyway, mebintells of the rare "Oh, I've always wanted twins!" or "Have you tried having twins?"
Try twins? What the what?
How on earth do you try to have twins? How can you improve your chances of having twins? Is that even a thing? Is it possible?
The question "how to conceive twins naturally" seems to have been on the rise lately, so I thought I'd do some research and write a super informative article on how to conceive twins naturally.
*Post contains affiliate links.
“Natural” conception vs. fertility treatments
First, let's get one thing clear. Nothing I am about to tell you is 100% scientifically proven! Not a single drop of it.
There have been a few studies that suggest certain things might increase your chances of having twins, and guess what? If you
I'm the queen of "it doesn't hurt to try!" so if you want to read some ideas on how to increase your chances of having twins, read on!
The second thing we need to clarify is thisIt's rude to talk about whether or not babies are conceived naturally.All babies are natural. This phrase will tick off many in the twin mom community.
So why did I make it the title of my post: "How to Conceive Twins Naturally?"
Because I know it's a general phrase that everyone will understand. If you read it you will know that I am talking about conceiving twins without fertility drugs or other fertility treatments.
While I know it's not a pretty term, it's a term that is commonly understood.
Don't forget to start taking prenatal vitamins while trying to conceive!These are my absolute favouritesBecause they're made with organic, whole-food ingredients, they're affordable and easy to take while you're struggling with first trimester morning sickness and food aversions.
So what are you supposed to say?
Spontaneous. The politically correct way to say "how to have twins naturally" is "spontaneously."
How to spontaneously have twins. You could also say "how to conceive twins without fertility drugs". Direct and to the point, but not a question to ask anyone.
Twins conceived without fertility treatments (also known as assisted reproductive technology) are considered conceived spontaneously.
The most common way of conceiving twins is through fertility treatments.
I won't go into too much detail on that as that's the focus of this post
Read ->Preparing for Gemini: 7 important things to consider
How twins are conceived
Before we dive into ways you can increase your chances of having twins, let's talk about how twins are conceived. The chance
It doesn't matter how strong a man's sperm is, it can't force two eggs to drop. It just doesn't work that way. I know men like to think their semen is super strong, but strong semen will not increase the chances of having twins.
Sorry men!
Conceiving twins involves the mother's body dropping either two eggs at once or one egg dividing in two.
Identical twins
Identical twinsare conceived when a single egg that has been fertilized by a single sperm divides into two.
It's completely random and there is no way to increase your chances of having identical twins that anyone can prove.
There aren't even any old wives' tales to throw at you!
No, if you really want to try to have twins, you have to try dizygotic twins.
Dizygotic twins
Fraternal twins are conceived when two separate eggs are fertilized by two separate sperm at the same time.
Fraternal twins share the same amount of DNA as normal siblings... with the bond of sharing a womb and life together, of course!
Interested in more information on identical vs dizygotic twins? Click to read!
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What are the chances of having twins?
Twins account for about 3.35% of live births. The chance of having identical twins is even lower at 0.45%.
The probability of having triplets or more is even lower at 0.1%!
So how can you increase your chances of having twins? Let's start!
How to Conceive Twins Naturally: Increase Fertility for Twins
Here are all the natural ways you can increase your chances of having twins!
Taking folic acid before trying to conceive
Folic acid supplements are essential for a healthy pregnancy, whether it's a single or twin pregnancy.
Taking folic acid about a month before trying to conceive can increase your chance of conceiving twins.
Age: Advanced maternal age
The older you are, the higher your chance of having twins. As my obstetrician put it, the body gets sloppy, so it drops two eggs instead of one.
That was pretty rude of him, but perceptive nonetheless.
A woman over 35 has elevated estrogen levels, which increases the likelihood of hyperovulation or releasing multiple eggs at the same time... thereby increasing your chances of conceiving twins.
Basically, our bodies get sloppy as we get older. thank you dr Teteris… eye rolls.
Read ->The realities of a singleton pregnancy after twins
consume dairy products
There are studies that prove thatconsume a lot of milkcan be a fertility booster for twins.
Possibly because of all the hormones being fed to cows? I'm not sure. But cheese and ice cream are delicious, so this is an excellent place to increase the odds of twins.
birth control
If you're looking for ways to conceive twins, are dairy-free, and are not of advanced maternal age, try to conceive right after stopping birth control.
Your body will go through a period of adjusting to the hormones, and you probably can
Body-Mass-Index
Some studies claim that heavier women with a higher BMI have a higher chance of having twins.
I mean you're going to gain weight with a twin pregnancy anyway, why not start early if you really want twins? (jokingly...)
It's also been shown that taller women conceive more twins...but there's nothing you can do about this situation.
Yams, sweet potatoes and cassava from Nigeria
Women who live in areas where yams, sweet potatoes and Nigerian cassava are a regular part of their diet are having more twins. These are all considered food to increase fertility in twins.
Sweet potatoes are delicious so it's worth a try!
race
For some reason, women of African American descent are more likely to have twins than any other race.
family history
If you have a family history of twin births then you have a higher chance of having twins. Obviously, however, this is not something you can control!
But if the maternal mother or grandmother had twins, then it is likely that they will pass on the hyperovulation gene and therefore conceive fraternal twins.
Sex positions for conceiving twins
Are you wondering what is the best position to get pregnant with twins? no boys Just no. That will not do…. like EVER.
There is no sex position out there that can increase your chances of having twins. I have to draw the line here!
Key Take Away: How to Increase Your Odds of Having Twins Naturally
- The top foods to eat to increase your chances of having twins are dairy, sweet potatoes, cassava, and yams
- No sex positions can help you get pregnant with twins!
- Trying to get pregnant after you've just come off the pill can increase your chances
- The older you are, the higher your chances are
- Having twins on the maternal side can improve your chances
- A higher BMI can be helpful for twin conception
- Taking folic acid can help
PS Make sure to follow me on social media to keep up with our family and all the cute twins! I am onlineInstagram,Facebook, andPinterest!
FAQs
How can you increase your chances of having twins naturally? ›
Factors that increase the chance of twins include: consuming high amounts of dairy foods, being over the age of 30, and conceiving while breastfeeding. Many fertility drugs including Clomid, Gonal-F, and Follistim also increase the odds of a twin pregnancy.
How can I increase my chances of conceiving twins? ›Clomiphene citrate (Clomid) and letrozole (Femara) are ovulation-stimulating medications. Both of these drugs are often given in IUI cycles and may help the body produce multiple eggs that may release at the same time. If two (or more) are fertilized and implant, twins are a possibility.
What foods increase chance of twins? ›Foods naturally rich in folic acid like avocado, spinach, broccoli, liver, and legumes also have the tendency to increase one's chances of conceiving twins. According to a study, consuming extra folic acid while trying to get pregnant can raise the chance of giving birth to twins slightly higher.
What causes a woman to conceive twins? ›Multiple pregnancy usually happens when more than one egg is fertilized. It also can happen when one egg is fertilized and then splits into 2 or more embryos that grow into 2 or more babies. When one fertilized egg splits into 2, the babies are called identical twins.
What vitamins increase chances of twins? ›Take folic acid supplements: One Australian study showed that a woman's chances of producing twins increases by taking folic acid before pregnancy .
Is there a trick to have twins? ›Although certain factors increase the chance of having twins, there is no way to improve the odds of having twins naturally. A woman will usually find out that she is pregnant with twins from an ultrasound early on in the pregnancy.
What fertility pills make twins? ›Clomiphene and gonadotropins are commonly used fertility drugs that can increase your chances of having twins. Clomiphene is a medication available only through prescription. In the United States, the brand names for the drug are Clomid and Serophene.
Can folic acid help to conceive twins? ›Folate: Folate has been found in studies to have a 40% increase in twin pregnancies. Although, this appears to be aimed at females who have had IVF treatments. Increasing folic acid (about 400 – 1000 micrograms a day) is also a natural way to get pregnant with twins.
What sperm causes twins? ›Monozygotic (MZ) twins, also called identical twins, occur when a single egg cell is fertilized by a single sperm cell. The resulting zygote splits into two very early in development, leading to the formation of two separate embryos.
Which parent carries twin gene? ›This is why fraternal twins run in families. However, only women ovulate. So, the mother's genes control this and the fathers don't. This is why having a background of twins in the family matters only if it is on the mother's side.
Are twins caused by male or female? ›
However, since only women ovulate, the connection is only valid on the mother's side of the family. While men can carry the gene and pass it on to their daughters, a family history of twins doesn't make them any more likely to have twins themselves.
Can you have twins if they don't run in your family? ›Everyone has the same chance of having identical twins: about 1 in 250. Identical twins do not run in families. But there are some factors that make having non-identical twins more likely: non-identical twins are more common in some ethnic groups, with the highest rate among Nigerians and the lowest among Japanese.