How to Increase the Chances of Having Twins

Multiple births--two or more children from a single pregnancy--make up only 3 percent of all live births, although this number has risen considerably since the 1980s. Twins occur when a woman's ovaries release two eggs, both of which are fertilized--resulting in fraternal twins--or when a single egg is fertilized and splits into two embryos--resulting in identical twins. A number of different factors can increase your chances of having twins, although not all of them are under your control.

Instructions

    • 1

      Research your family history. If you have a history of twins in your family, or are a twin yourself, you'll have an increased chance of having twins without even trying.

    • 2

      Wait until you're older to have children. Women who are older than 30 when they get pregnant have an increased chance of having twins and higher-order multiple pregnancies.

    • 3

      Have more children. You have a greater chance of having twins after one or more previous pregnancies, especially if one of those involved multiple births, than in your first pregnancy.

    • 4

      Take a drug that stimulates ovulation. Drugs such as clomiphene and gonadotropin are used to treat infertility by causing the ovaries to release more eggs, often resulting in twins or higher-order multiple pregnancies. Hormone shots can also stimulate ovulation.

    • 5

      Use in vitro fertilization, a process in which a doctor mixes eggs and sperm in a lab and implants the embryo into a woman's uterus. The chance of having twins is much higher for women who use in vitro than in the general population. About one in every three to four women who use in vitro--25 to 33 percent--will become pregnant with twins.

    2. Previous:

    Next:

    • 275 Popular Twin Baby Names
      Choosing the perfect names for your twins is not quite like choosing a name for a single baby. If you agonized for months over what to name one baby, you arent done yet. It is time to find the perfect name for their sibling. You might want
    • Twins Born in Different Years
      It happens every January, like clockwork. A rash of media coverage marveling about the birth of twins. While twin births are always incredible, they’re not exactly newsworthy, given that there are over 120,000 twin births every year, or about thre
    • Twin Telepathy: Separating Fact From Fiction
      One of the magical mysteries associated with multiples is idea that they share a special connection beyond that of ordinary siblings. While the twin bond is a clearly unique relationship, sometimes people feel it's endowed with extraordinary,