How to increase chances of having twins: Natural and medical ways you can try

I love twins. But then, I am a dad. I have spoken to many women who absolutely dread twin pregnancy. There is twice the work involved, and you cannot really balance a career and twins without help. But a lot of people want to know how to increase the chances of twins during pregnancy.

People who dream of becoming parents of twins, especially women, have a lot of questions on their minds. You may have thoughts like, “What to eat to get pregnant with twins naturally,” or “How to calculate my chances of having twins? Are there chances of having twins after 35?” We’ll get to that.

You may want to have twins for a variety of reasons. One advantage of having twins is that both your kids grow up simultaneously. And if you want just two kids, you can concentrate on losing the baby weight without worrying about going through all that all over again!

I am kidding. Pregnancy and twins are more than just this. The thing is, some want twins while others don’t. So, this article is useful for both. So do you want to know how to increase the chances of twins during pregnancy? But before we go there, let us quickly see why people have twins.

What causes twins?

If there is more than 1 baby growing in the uterus, it is termed multiple pregnancies. For this to happen, there needs to be more than one ovum as a rule.

So, there might be two ova that are fertilized by two sperms, leading to non-identical or fraternal twins. But sometimes, a fertilized egg splits into two, and this causes identical twins.

There are a few genetic and environmental conditions that may cause this, and we are going to have a look at them. So, if you have/do these 11 things, the chances of having twins increase. And if you don’t want twins, you can try and avoid them. While these things are not fool-proof, most of them are scientifically backed. They will increase your chances of having twins, in case you want them!

How to increase chances of twins during pregnancy 

You may also be wondering how to conceive twins or triplets naturally. For this list, we provide options for natural and medical ways to increase chances of twins during pregnancy.

1. Go for a woman who has twins in her family.

Women who have multiple pregnancies in their families are more likely to have twins themselves. This does not necessarily transcend to men.

So guys, if you want your own set of twins, a woman with a family history of twins is one way how to increase the chances of twins during pregnancy.

2.  A late pregnancy

Late pregnancies have a higher chance of being multiple ones. While this is just a chance, you can take it. The downside is, that you will be monitored more than usual if you have a late pregnancy. 

That said, many women conceive and deliver healthy babies in their late 30s. So if you’re wondering if you have a chance of having twins after 35, the answer is yes.

“The risk of twins actually increases when a woman gets older, especially over the age of 30 or 35,” Dr. Mindy Christianson, medical director of the Johns Hopkins Fertility Center, tells Forbes Health. “This is because certain hormones can increase, which increases the risk of releasing more than one egg.”

When you are over 30, there is an increase in the production of the follicle-stimulating hormone or the FSH. This is the hormone that is responsible in the egg developing in your ovaries.

3. In Vitro Fertilization

Chances of multiple pregnancies increase with assisted techniques like in vitro fertilization. Ovulation-stimulation medications also help.

The reason is, that your uterus is primed for pregnancy by the use of hormones and vitamins. And to increase the chances, more than one embryo is implanted. So, if they take, you can have twins or even triplets.

So if you’re wondering how to “calculate my chances of having twins,” know that fertility treatments make it more possible.  

4. Being a twin

If you were born with one, the chances of you begetting one are high. This is again true, especially for women, as the ovum is the factor responsible for twins, not the sperm.

5. Being slightly overweight

It has been observed that women who have a body mass index (BMI) of more than 30 end up having multiple pregnancies. The exact reason is not known, but a conjecture is that the hormones may cause multiple ovulations in one cycle, causing multiple pregnancies. 

That said, don’t put on weight just for this, as this is not considered to be a healthy BMI. Also, it may increase your risk of having gestational diabetes if you do get pregnant.

6. Being tall

Again, this is a funny thing, but taller women tend to have twins more often than short ones.

7. If you previously have had twins

If you have had a multiple pregnancy before, chances are, you might have twins again!

So, can petite young women who have no family history of twins, have twins? Absolutely. However, the statistical chances of that happening are a tad bit lower. That said, if you are destined to have twins, you will have them!

8. If you belong to a certain race

African Americans have been noted to most likely have twins among any race. Meanwhile, Asians and Native Americans have the lowest chances of conceiving twins. Meanwhile, Caucasians are more likely to have higher order births, like triplets or higher multiples.

Does breastfeeding increase the chance of having twins?

You may have heard or read it somewhere, so it makes you wonder: why does breastfeeding increase chance of twins? 

A study was published in the Journal of Reproductive Medicine in 2006, which found that women who were breastfeeding and became pregnant were more likely to have twins. 

However, there are no additional studies to support this finding. That is why breastfeeding is not a likely factor on how to increase chances of twins during pregnancy.

How to conceive twins or triplets naturally: can eating dairy help?

There was a 2006 study by Dr. Gary Steinman, found that dairy intake can have an effect on a woman’s chances of having twins. This may be because of the insulin-like growth factor or IGF, which is a protein released from the livers of animals and humans. The IGF then makes its way to the animal’s milk after circulating in the blood.

But just like the study on breastfeeding, there are no additional studies to support this information. So you may include this on your list of what to eat to get pregnant with twins naturally, but your chances may not be that high.

Things that are NOT going to increase your chances of having twins

Now that you know how to increase the chances of twins in pregnancy, you must know that there are many myths about it as well. Here are the 3 things that are not going to cause multiple pregnancies.

1. Eating meat at the time of ovulation. There is no scientific basis for this assumption, nor is it supported by observational studies. So you can remove meat from your list of what to eat to get pregnant with twins naturally. 
2. Alternative therapies. Naturopathy, acupuncture, or anything alike is not going to ensure that you have a twin pregnancy.
3. Pregnancy spells. Sorry to mention it here, but many desperate couples try out everything to get pregnant, and a few people exploit this situation. So if you come across a ‘saint’ on Facebook who claims that he can cast a pregnancy spell on you for a few hundred dollars, don’t believe him. Please.

Moms and dads, these things are purely scientific observations. However, I suggest that falling in love and then getting married is much more important than just looking for physical aspects while you enter a relationship. Children may or may not happen, but the more important thing here is finding a partner you can spend the life with.

Republished with permission from theAsianParent Singapore

Additional information from Romy Peña Cruz

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