This is why fraternal twins run in families. However, only women ovulate. So, the mother's genes control this and the fathers don't. This is why having a background of twins in the family matters only if it is on the mother's side.
The idea that twins skip generations likely comes from the fact that the genetic factors contributing to twins only come from the gestational parent's side. If a cisgender father's mother had fraternal twins, it's statistically likely that he won't have fraternal twins himself because of the rareness of twins.
However, few genes appear to be definitively linked to hyperovulation, so it could just be that genetics in general on the mother's side contribute to the probability of having fraternal twins. Heredity on the father's side, on the other hand, does not increase a couple's odds of having twins.
To form identical or monozygotic twins, one fertilised egg (ovum) splits and develops into two babies with exactly the same genetic information. To form fraternal or dizygotic twins, two eggs (ova) are fertilised by two sperm and produce two genetically unique children.
Dizygotic (DZ) twins, also called fraternal twins, occur when two egg cells are each fertilized by a different sperm cell in the same menstrual cycle. DZ twins are about twice as common as MZ twins, and they are much more likely to run in families.
However, since only women ovulate, the connection is only valid on the mother's side of the family. While men can carry the gene and pass it on to their daughters, a family history of twins doesn't make them any more likely to have twins themselves.
The gene versions that increase the chance of hyperovulation can be passed down from parent to child. This is why fraternal twins run in families. However, only women ovulate. So, the mother's genes control this and the fathers don't.
It is possible for twins to have different fathers in a phenomenon called heteropaternal superfecundation, which occurs when two of a woman's eggs are fertilized by sperm from two different men.
Everyone has the same chance of having identical twins: about 1 in 250. Identical twins do not run in families. But there are some factors that make having non-identical twins more likely: non-identical twins are more common in some ethnic groups, with the highest rate among Nigerians and the lowest among Japanese.
In the majority of vaginal births, Baby A is born first. But occasionally the twins switch positions at the last minute, and Baby B emerges first, as further noted by the Stanford Medicine News Center. Still, the birth order is relatively straightforward.
Factors that increase the chance of twins include: consuming high amounts of dairy foods, being over the age of 30, and conceiving while breastfeeding. Many fertility drugs including Clomid, Gonal-F, and Follistim also increase the odds of a twin pregnancy.
The notion that twins always skip a generation is also a myth. The illusion may have arisen because men who inherit the gene from their mothers are unaffected by it ( they do not ovulate), but can still pass it on to their daughters, who, in turn, will have an increased likelihood of conceiving twins.
Identical (i.e., monozygotic, or MZ) twins share 100 percent of their genes, whereas fraternal (i.e., dizygotic, or DZ) twins generally share only 50 percent of their genes.
If a woman's mother has fraternal twins, she is about 2 times more likely to have twins. This is why we often say the “risk” for having twins comes from the mother. It doesn't matter if the dad also has fraternal twins in his family – his DNA won't influence how many eggs the mom releases!
So if you, your mother or your maternal grandmother are or were fraternal (non-identical) twins then your chances of having twins may increase to as many as 1 in 7.
Identical twins are almost always the same sex, although there are some rare exceptions to this rule. Because identical twins occur when a single fertilized egg splits and forms two embryos, each embryo has the same chromosomes (usually, XX for girls or XY for boys).
When people refer to Irish twins, it's important to recognize that although the siblings are close in age, they are not actually twins. In other words, they were not born during the same gestational period. Calling them Irish twins is just an informal way of classifying siblings that are born close together.
A dad who's one of a twin may inherit the gene, but it won't increase his chances of having twins too, because the gene only affects ovulation. The same dad may pass on the gene to his daughter, who then goes on to get pregnant with twins, making it look like twins have skipped a generation .
Can a baby have two biological fathers? No, that is not possible. The baby's mother might have had many sexual encounters with different men and she might not know who the father of the baby is. However, the baby cannot have different biological fathers.
It's not based on family history or genetics. Identical twins form when a single fertilized egg splits and forms two embryos. Now in this case, it's not because of mom or dad. It's just beautiful luck that creates identical twins.
But you may be left wondering: Can twins have different fathers? The answer is yes, but only in cases in which they're fraternal, as identical twins form from a single egg/sperm combination and thus cannot have different fathers.
Monoamniotic-monochorionic Twins
This is the rarest type of twin, and it means a riskier pregnancy as the babies can get tangled in their own umbilical cords. If you have monoamniotic-monochorionic twins, your healthcare provider will monitor your pregnancy closely.
The DNA of monozygotic twins tends not to be 100% identical, and epigenetic and environmental differences further widen the gap between twin pairs. It's not nature or nurture; it's a complex interaction between our genes, our environment, and our epigenetic markers that shape who we are and what illnesses befall us.