Seeing double: What are the chances of having twins
The chances of having twins, plus the new show on the seacrch for Australia’s Most Identical twins.
They might finish each other’s sentences, dress the same without meaning to, or swear they can feel what the other is thinking. But how identical are they, really?
This week Australia’s Most Identical premieres on Channel 9 and 9Now from Tuesday, June 24. Hosted by The Block’s Scott Cam (dad to twins himself) and Olympian-turned-doctor Jana Pittman (also a twin mum), the two-part special event will see 100 sets of twins from across Australia put their likeness to the test.
From medical scans and mirror challenges to memory quizzes and just plain weird twin tricks, this fascinating docu-style competition will ask, ‘Are some twins more identical than others?‘
And in a twist, it’s not the ‘experts or hosts who decide the winner – it’s the twins themselves, who’ll vote on the pair they believe are the most uncannily alike. Expect to meet twins of all kinds: tradie twins, twins married to twins, mirror twins, and even twins who claim they’re telepathic.
What are the chances of having twins?
In Australia, twins are born in one out of every 80 births – which means one in 40 Australians is a twin.
But some women are more likely to conceive twins than others. According to Better Health Channel, factors that can boost your chances include:
- Age: Women over 30 naturally produce more oestrogen, which can lead to the release of more than one egg during ovulation.
- Number of previous pregnancies: The more you’ve had, the greater the odds.
- Family history: If fraternal twins run in your family (especially on the mother’s side), your chances increase.
- Race: Black African women have the highest rates of twinning; Asian women the lowest.
- Fertility treatment: Medications or IVF that stimulate ovulation can result in multiple eggs or embryos being released or implanted.
Identical vs. Fraternal Twins: What’s the difference?
Fraternal twins happen when two separate eggs are fertilised by two separate sperm. They can be the same or opposite sex, and genetically they’re no more alike than any other siblings. They usually have separate placentas and sacs, and make up about 70% of all twin births in Australia.
Identical twins, on the other hand, come from a single fertilised egg that splits in two. They share the same DNA, but that doesn’t always mean they’ll look exactly alike – environment plays a part too. You might hear them called monozygotic twins, and they may share or have separate placentas depending on when the egg split.
Expecting twins?
Most twin pregnancies are picked up during your first ultrasound, where doctors can spot the two embryo sacs and eventually see each baby. From around 10–12 weeks, you might even hear two distinct heartbeats with a Doppler.
