10 Mind-Blowing Facts You Never Knew About Twins

Twins are defined as two children produced by the same pregnancy. They can be dizygotic, which means that they can form from two separate eggs, each fertilized by different sperm cells, or monozygotic, which means that they can form from one zygote that will then split and form two embryos. Twins are a double bundle of joy for any parent. Many people dream to have twin babies because of the intriguing and amazing things they are known for. Here are some mind-blowing facts about twins you never knew.

Different Biological Fathers

In 2009, a Texas woman named Mia Washington gave birth to twin babies with two different dads, a one in a million occurrence. In a single month, Washington released two eggs and had sex with two individuals. The woman’s two sex partners each fertilized one of the eggs, resulting in two babies with two fathers.

Different Races

While it may be difficult to believe, Remee and Kian are twins. It is the result of a one in a million combination of the genes of their parents, who are mixed race. If father and mother are mixed race, their sperm or eggs contain the genetic code for white as well as black skin and in a few cases this results in twin babies of different skin colors.

Identical Lives

Jim Springer and Jim Lewis were 4 weeks old when they were separated, with each of them going to separate adoptive families. It was later found that their lives shared some amazing similarities. Both married twice, first to ladies named Linda and second to ladies named Betty. Both drank Miller Lite, smoked Salem cigarettes and drove Chevys.

Tall Women

According to the Long Island Jewish Medical Center, taller ladies have more insulin-like growth factor (IGF) – a protein that raises a female’s chance of ovulating. The more IGF a female has, the higher the chance that she will have twins.

Sixth Sense

Tatiana and Krista Hogan are joined at the head and share a part of the brain (thalamus) that controls motor functions and physical sensations. As a result, the young girls can hear each other’s thoughts and see through each other’s eyes.

Belly Buttons

The belly button is one of the easiest ways to tell twins apart. Belly buttons, or navels, are scars from the detachment of the umbilical cord, therefore, they are not caused by genetics and each belly button is unique.

Massachusetts

The state with the highest rate of twin births is Massachusetts.

Morning Sickness

Mothers who are expecting two babies tend to have increased levels of morning sickness, likely because of higher levels of the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG).

Divorce

According to a research published in Obstetrics & Gynecology, parents of twin babies are more likely to get divorced than parents without twins.

Breast-Feeding

Mothers who are breast-feeding when they get pregnant again are 9 times more likely to conceive twin babies than mothers who have stopped breast-feeding, according to a study. This is because a woman’s IGF levels stay elevated to help her produce milk, raising her odds of releasing a second egg during ovulation.