I didn't know much about twins before I got some of my own. Here's some twin info!
1. In the UK, 1 of every 65 births is twins or more. I was told this by a consultant once, when I noted that I was surprised to be having twins. "But I statistically I thought I could have another 62 pregnancies before I had twins" I said. He did not think that's how statistics worked.
2. Having twins does not mean you have to have a c-section. In the US, 75% of twins are delivered via C-Section. In the UK it's approx 55%.
3. During scans they identify one twin as twin A and one as twin B. They try and scan the same twin as A and B in every scan. I don't know how they do this when they are tiny and moving, but they do! When they are bigger and stuck then it's easier to tell twin A from twin B in scans
4. At around 20 weeks they determine which twin will come out first, and that twin is called the "presenting twin". It can change, but generally stays the same. As long as the presenting twin is head down one can try and have a vaginal birth. If the presenting twin is breech then it's generally straight to C-Section. If the second twin is breech and the first twin is head down then you can deliver vaginally as well.
5. There are two x two variations on twins. Single or Dichorionic, and single or di amniotic. Generally fraternal twins are DC/DA (two placentas, two amniotic sacs) but twins can also share a placenta (especially if they are identical) or share both a placenta and an amniotic sac (although apparently this is quite rare). Also just because twins are dichorionic and diamniotic (two placentas, two sacks) doesn't mean they're *not* identical, but it is quite rare.
6. I had no idea I was having twins. At no point could I feel two distinct babies. I just felt very very pregnant. I can definitely understand how one could have twins in the past without knowing it was twins!
7. When twins are born, the presenting twin comes first, then the second twin, and then the two placentas. (at least for DC/DI - two seperate babies in to sacks with two placentas - not sure how it works for other types of twins)
8. There is very little researched info on twin cobedding. I had lofty ideals of two separate bedside cots - in practice they slept together until they could almost roll.
9. More than 50% of twins are born before 37 weeks, and in the UK they try to deliver twins during week 37.
10. Fraternal twins are just siblings born at the same time. They are not magically more alike as far as I can tell. In fact, if Audrey and Isaac had been twins, people would probably have asked if they were identical. I am often told how handsome Audrey is. She is quite handsome!
Those were some cool facts :) My sister and I were delivered with a c-section, but my mom had complications and we were 4 weeks early. Am I still the presenting twin, even if they just grabbed me first? LOL
ReplyDeleteMy sister and I are fraternal, so we're definitely just siblings born at the same time and yes, we're very different :)
I think with C sections they generally bring the babies out through the bottom of the uterus anyways so at least in my case the presenting twin would have been first if it was c section or not. So yes, you can tell your sister that you were first from the start :-D
DeleteI didn't know they knew by 20 weeks which baby was likely to deliver first!!! Fascinating!!! I guess that makes sense because there's not much room to move around and jockey for position ;) Also interesting about you not feeling like you were having twins. I knew someone who had twins without knowing it was going to be twins (I've also heard of at least two women who thought they were going through menopause AND WERE PREGNANT. Can you imagine?!!)
ReplyDeleteOMG I know a person that situation too Elisabeth - menopause being a pregnancy - I cannot imagine! I know I got two when I expected one but getting one when you expect none would be a whole different experience.
DeleteOne in 65?!?!? Wow. That’s so … frequent! I should know more twins than I do!
ReplyDeleteOh dear. I had to google. It’s not you. It’s that I am the measure of all things, therefore my experience should match every stat I read. Of course.
ReplyDeleteI found your Twin Trust stat of one in 65. And then I found the Cleveland Clinic saying one in 250. Somebody is way off. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/23158-twin-pregnancy
Oh interesting! I found my info from Twin Trust, but I think they may have conflated "twin prgancies" with "twin births!" One in every 65 seemed really high to me, the consultant said 1 in 85, but now I'm wondering if 1 in 65 births is a twin birth (so that would be 2 births, one pregnancy)?? Thanks for googling!
DeleteInteresting! My Mom is a twin and I am assuming it was vaginal birth, because we always joke that my Aunt was born two minutes before her...but now I am second guessing myself. I actually do not know for sure! They are identical to everyone, but not to me! To me they look very different. I mean, sometimes my Aunt looks at me, and I think, oh, that was a Mom face, but more the expression than the actual look. I also did not realize it was so common (1 in 65!)
ReplyDeleteSo 2nd baby being breach isn't a deal breaker, huh? Do they turn the baby around, or does it come out feet first? My sisters are twins, and my dad and their mom did not know until the first one was born, and then here came a second. They never heard two heartbeats or anything (1970). Quite a shock for them!
ReplyDeleteI guess it may depend a bit on what type of breech. Audrey was butt down breech and so after nora was born (head down) they just kind of held her in place and then let her get born breech. It may have been different if they were foot down breech, though they can also try and move them around after the first twin is born because there is so much more room. They said the only problem happens when the seocnd twin turns transverse (sideways) after the first twin is born... then sometimes the second twin needs to be a cessarian. I really did not want a "both ways birth"!
DeleteThat would be such a shock for your parents! And for you, and your whole family. Apparently my grandma knew she was having twins beacuse they heard two heartbeats, and then it was confirmed with an X Ray, because that's what they did in 1955.
This was so enlightening! L's good friends are twin girls- identical, Poppy and Violet. Each time we hang out with them or we go over their house I still-STILL- do not see the difference. They look identical.
ReplyDeleteActually I don't really know about identical twins... maybe they are exactly identical? My friend has 10 year old fraternal twins and they look sooooo alike.
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