Do Twins Run In Families?

Fact or Fiction? The only chance a woman has of conceiving multiples (twins, triplets, or more) is if multiples run in her family or the baby’s father’s family.

Fiction. A woman also increases the likelihood of becoming pregnant with multiples if she:

• Is large and tall.

• Is older than thirty-five.

• Is Caucasian or African-American. (Multiples are less common in Asian and Hispanic women.)

• Had at least one other pregnancy.

• Used fertility drugs that increase the number of eggs released during ovulation.

• Had more than one egg implanted during procedures, such as in vitro fertilization.

Most of these factors affect only the rate of fraternal twins, triplets, or higher-order multiples, because the occurrence of identical siblings is an unpredictable and random event.

Excerpted from: Pregnancy, Childbirth and the Newborn

© copyright 2016 by Parent Trust for Washington Children

Fun with Baby Before Birth

After 28 weeks of pregnancy, try any of these activities:

• Every day, sing the same song to your baby or play him your favorite music. He’ll recognize it after birth. You also may want to read the same children’s book or poem aloud every day.

• Talk to your baby. Have your partner lay his or her head on your lap and “speak” to your belly. Your baby is learning to recognize your voices and may respond when he hears them.

• Press on your belly when you feel your baby’s hand or foot push against your uterus. See if he responds to your touch. Try pressing twice (like double-clicking a mouse) and see if your baby mimics your action.

• Shine a flashlight on your belly. See if your baby responds to the light.

Excerpted from: Pregnancy, Childbirth and the Newborn

© copyright 2016 by Parent Trust for Washington Children 

Having trouble conceiving?

Q: If my partner and I have trouble conceiving, what can we do?

A: Difficulty conceiving a child can be frustrating. Visit our web site, http://www.pcnguide.com, for ways you can improve your health before conceiving and ways to enhance fertility. If you’ve been trying for more than a year, you may want to consult an infertility expert who can look for possible complications with ovulation or a low sperm count. If a problem is discovered, you may choose to use assisted reproductive technology (ART). To learn more about ART, visit http://www.cdc.gov/ART or https://www.marchofdimes.org/pregnancy/thinking-about-fertility-treatment.aspx.

Excerpted from: Pregnancy, Childbirth and the Newborn

© copyright 2016 by Parent Trust for Washington Children