How to Get Pregnant with Twins
Many times when women decide it is time to bring a baby into their life they often wonder how to get pregnant with twins. Twins are the result of hyper ovulation, the release two individual eggs at the same time, or twins are the result of a natural split of the egg after conception.
Two different types of twins exist: fraternal and identical. Fraternal twins occur when the mother has two eggs that become fertilized at the same time resulting in any combination of genders for the pair. Identical twins are the result of a single egg splitting into two embryos after fertilization has taken place and produces either two girls or two boys.
- Have a history of twins in your family. The easiest way to get pregnant with twins is to have a mother, sister, brother, or even distant cousin that has had a multiple birth. Fraternal twins are often hereditary and increase your chance of hyper ovulation.
- Visit your doctor. While it is always a smart idea to take a trip to the doctor before conceiving to make sure you are healthy enough to carry a baby, it is especially important if you are hoping for twins. Your doctor can run tests to determine if you are prone to hyper ovulation that would result in twins without having to turn to fertility drugs
- Gain weight before conceiving. A study put out by the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology reported that multiple births are more common in women who are obese. Those with a body mass index of 30 or higher had significant increases in multiple births. While the study did not promote gaining weight to the point of endangering your own health, packing on a few pounds can produce the same results.
- Wait until you are older. The body accelerates ovulation as the proverbial “biological clock” begins ticking. Mothers over the age of 45 had a 17% chance of having multiple births.
- Eat a diet high in yams and diary. While few studies have been conducted to prove the reasons why, but a tribe in West Africa called Yoruba has the highest rate of multiple births in the world. The research that has been done tied it to the fact that their diet consisted mainly of yams which contains a chemical that causes hyper ovulation. An additional study among American women reported that a diet high in dairy can multiply the chance of having twins by five.
- Take a folic acid supplement. A study conducted in Australia showed that women who took a folic acid supplement on a daily basis before conceiving had a 40% increase of having twins. Even though few studies have been performed to validate it, it is proven that folic acid aids in preventing neural tube defects. The folic acid supplement may help conceive twins, but it will assuredly help develop a healthy baby.
How to Pregnant with Twins
- Look into fertility assistance. The science behind reproductive technology is on the rise. There are drugs that can aid in stimulating hyper ovulation, but the most effective route is in-vitro fertilization. Because the doctor will often implant up to seven embryos into the mother, the chance of a two of them taking are high.
- Have a single child before trying for twins. Most of the time, twins are not the firstborn children to a new mother. Allowing your body to adjust to conceiving and giving birth can be more inviting to fraternal twins.
- Conceive while breastfeeding another child. It is a myth that women do not ovulate while they are lactating. Ironically, research has shown that many sets of twins are conceived while the mother is still nursing another child. The reason is not proven but it is thought to be tied to the mother’s increased instinct to care for children as the bond between the mother and nursing child grows during nursing.
- Get pregnant while you are on a birth control pill. When used properly, birth control pills are thought to be 99.9% effective at preventing an unwanted pregnancy. It may seem counterproductive to take such a pill when you are trying to conceive, but the 0.01% chance that remains increases the chance of having twins drastically. Taking the pill inconsistently can play around with the hormones that lead to hyper ovulation.
There are many reasons mothers want to conceive twins. For some it is the benefit of having multiple children without having to be pregnant multiple times. Still, others have great appreciation for the intense bond that is likely to develop between the children.
While these ten tips are not guaranteed to result in twin births, they will increase your chances exponentially. With a little consideration for your diet and a few other measures, you can give birth to the twins you have been waiting to mother.