backup og meta

How To Have Twins Naturally: What You Can Do To Boost Your Chances

How To Have Twins Naturally: What You Can Do To Boost Your Chances

Our lolas and lolos have warned women that eating kambal na saging will get them pregnant with twins. Is it possible to have twins just by eating? Let’s find out the different factors on how to have multiples naturally and see if it’s worth adding twin bananas to your diet.

Conditions for Multiple Pregnancies

Before jumping into having twins, the first step is to check with your doctors if there are any fertility issues that need to be addressed. This instantly increases your chance if you are able to conceive.

Some women have a higher chance than others. Getting pregnant with multiples starts with the parents, especially the mothers.

Genetics

If twins run in the family, the chance of having multiple births are higher compared to the others. This is applicable especially to parents who are a part of a twin. Hyperovulation is a condition where the ovary releases more than one egg cell, which can be passed on through genes.

Height

Women who are 5 feet 5 inches or 165 cm have a higher chance to have multiple pregnancies. The presence of an insulin-like growth factor (IGF) stimulates the growth in height as well as an increase in ovulation.

Race

The race of the parents affects the chances of conceiving multiples. The highest chances are from African women, specifically Nigerians. On the flip side, Japanese women have the lowest chance to have multiple births.

Past Pregnancy

If you have already undergone multiple pregnancies, the chances of having twins again are higher compared to single pregnancies.

How to Have Twins Naturally

Genetics and race are something that you cannot change or choose, but there are other factors that can influence your chances.

Age

Women in their 30s produce more estrogen compared to younger women. This stimulates the ovaries to release more than one egg cell per cycle. This may lead to higher chances for multiple eggs to be fertilized. It also comes with age that women have a lower chance to conceive and opt for fertility assistance.

Breastfeeding

It might sound weird that what can prevent you from getting pregnant also helps in conceiving twins. Breastfeeding while pregnant has a higher chance of your next child being twins because of the higher level of prolactin that the body produces. It gives you a little boost to have twins naturally.

Body Mass Index

Women with a 30 or higher body mass index or BMI, which is categorized as overweight, have a higher chance of having twins. You can calculate your BMI based on your height and weight. However, this might not be a good step to take as there are complications associated with obesity that might make pregnancy challenging.

Diet

Increasing dairy intake can increase the chances of having multiple births. According to research, women who include milk in their diets are more likely to conceive twins compared to women on vegan diets.

Assisted Reproductive Technology

Couples who are having issues with fertility are given an option for Assisted Reproductive Technology or ART. One of the complications of ART is multiple pregnancies. It has a higher chance of multiple fertilized eggs, one from IVF and one from natural means.

Reminders

These factors can only affect the likelihood of having fraternal twins. These are twins born out of two egg and sperm cells. Identical twins can happen to anyone and doctors do not know their exact causes. Sesquizygotic twins are a relatively new concept that is still being studied further.

Key Takeaways

There is no straight answer as to how to have twins naturally like the kambal na saging that our elders warn us about. Studies show the correlation of genetics and race can increase the chances of twins. There are also ways to improve getting multiple births through fertility assistance, diet, and the like. These factors only affect the chances of fraternal twins as identical twins can happen to any mother. What is equally important is to have you and your partner checked for fertility issues as these factors will be secondary if you are unable to conceive. In addition, being in the most optimal state of health is encouraged as carrying multiples will put your body through extra stress

Learn more about other Conception Topics here

[embed-health-tool-ovulation]

Disclaimer

Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

Delayed Childbearing as a Growing, Previously Unrecognized Contributor to the National Plural Birth Excess, https://journals.lww.com/greenjournal/Fulltext/2018/10000/Delayed_Childbearing_as_a_Growing,_Previously.26.aspx, Accessed March 20, 2021

Assisted Reproductive Technology, https://medlineplus.gov/assistedreproductivetechnology.html, Accessed March 20, 2021

Is the probability of having twins determined by genetics?, https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/traits/twins/, Accessed March 20, 2021

Relationship of maternal body mass index and height to twinning, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15738030/, Accessed March 20, 2021

Mechanisms of twinning: VII. Effect of diet and heredity on the human twinning rate, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16779988/, Accessed March 20, 2021

Mechanisms of twinning: VIII. Maternal height, insulin like growth factor and twinning rate, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17039697/, Accessed March 20, 2021

Twinning and the changing pattern of breast-feeding: a possible relationship in a small rural population, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7349695/, Accessed March 20, 2021

Dizygotic twinning, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18024802/, Accessed March 20, 2021

FAQs Multiple Pregnancy, https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/multiple-pregnancy, Accessed March 20, 2021

Twins – identical and fraternal, https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/ConditionsAndTreatments/twins-identical-and-fraternal, Accessed March 20, 2021

Twin pregnancy: What twins or multiples mean for mom, https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/in-depth/twin-pregnancy/art-20048161, Accessed March 20, 2021

A genome wide linkage scan for dizygotic twinning in 525 families of mothers of dizygotic twins, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2912534/, Accessed March 20, 2021

Pregnant with twins, https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/finding-out/pregnant-with-twins/, Accessed March 20, 2021

Study Finds That A Woman’s Chances Of Having Twins Can Be Modified By Diet, https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/05/060521103211.htm, Accessed March 20, 2021

Taller Women Are More Likely To Have Twins, Obstetrician’s Study Confirms, https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/09/060923104930.htm, Accessed March 20, 2021

Current Version

04/25/2024

Written by Elaine Felicitas

Medically reviewed by Jobelle Ann Dela Cruz Bigalbal, MD

Updated by: Jan Alwyn Batara


People Are Also Reading This

Geriatric Pregnancy Tips: Getting Pregnant in Your 40s

Chances of Getting Pregnant With Woman on Top: Is It Higher?


Medically reviewed by

Jobelle Ann Dela Cruz Bigalbal, MD

General Practitioner


Written by Elaine Felicitas · Updated Apr 25

ad iconadvertisement

Was this article helpful?

ad iconadvertisement
ad iconadvertisement