Twins Spinoff: How does the "gene" work if they're in your family?

I have a lot of twins in my family - actually a WHOLE LOT. How does the twin gene work? Does it skip a generation? Anyone know what the deal is?

Re: Twins Spinoff: How does the "gene" work if they're in your family?

I've always heard it skips a generation. Don't know the real stats on it though.

Re: Twins Spinoff: How does the "gene" work if they're in your family?

My grandfather is an identical twin. His brother's son had fraternal twins. I hear those aren't related, though.

Two of DH's aunts are twins, but none of his cousins had twins.

Twins are so cool.

Re: Twins Spinoff: How does the "gene" work if they're in your family?

Re: Twins Spinoff: How does the "gene" work if they're in your family?

Fraternal twins are genetic - it comes from the mother's side, since it involves "hyperovulation". Identical twins are not - they are simply a biological phenomenon, when the fertilized egg splits in two.

Re: Twins Spinoff: How does the "gene" work if they're in your family?

Re: Twins Spinoff: How does the "gene" work if they're in your family?

Both my parents are twins- mom is fraternal and dad is identical. My mom's sisters are identical twins (grandma had 5 kids, 2 sets of twins). Dad's uncles are identical twins and my maternal great-grandmother was a triplet. My daughter was a singleton. I think the skipping generation thing is an old wives tale

Re: Twins Spinoff: How does the "gene" work if they're in your family?

Twins run on my mother's side of the family.. I also have fraternal twin sister's from my mother but when I got pregnant before DD I was pregnant with fraternal twins too.. So I don't think it has to skip a generation.. if the gene is there.. then it's there..

Re: Twins Spinoff: How does the "gene" work if they're in your family?

It skips a generation...
My DH is an identical twin and so was his maternal grandfather.

Re: Twins Spinoff: How does the "gene" work if they're in your family?

fraternal twins are genetic, identical are not. I dont know how true it is about skipping a generation, I have 3 generations of fraternal twins on my moms side, including herself and then she also had twins, so there was no skipping there. Unless it skips me and my sister who is a twin has twins!

Re: Twins Spinoff: How does the "gene" work if they're in your family?

I dont think it skips a generation - i just think the gene is there.

What worries me is that 3 family memebers that were supposed to have twins had problems and only 1 survived - i wonder if that is genetic

Re: Twins Spinoff: How does the "gene" work if they're in your family?

Identical twins are not hereditary. Fraternal twins CAN be hereditary. The old "skip a generation" is a myth.

There is also proof that certain ethnicity are more likely / less likely to have twins. For instance, asian's are less likely to have twins than some hispanic races or african people.

Quote:

Contrary to popular belief, twin births do not skip generations. Identical twinning does not run in families and appears to be random. Fraternal twinning, however, is influenced by genetic factors, maternal age, frequency of sexual activity, and ethnicity.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Twins 101

http://www.marthastewart.com/article/twins-101

Message edited 7/30/2010 4:56:23 PM.

Re: Twins Spinoff: How does the "gene" work if they're in your family?

Oh i want twins so badly!!

My grandma is a twin, and her twin sister's daughter had twins.