Identical vs. Fraternal Twins

[xSTACEx]

Ok ladies. I hope you can help me out because I'm feeling total shock and amazement right now. I'll admit, I feel a bit overwhelmed, too.

I had an IUI with one good follie. Today, I went for my first ultrasound and found out there are 2 beans in there! They have their own sacs and are a good amount apart from each other in the uterus.

My question is - What is the chance these will be identical twins vs fraternal? I'm extra curious because I only triggered with one egg, but like I said, they aren't sharing a sac.

I'm going to try and process this whole twins concept and how I'll find a way to put 2 of everything in 1 bedroom while I wait to hear your replies. haha Thanks, darlings!

 

[Plus2]

I don't actually have any useful advice, just wanted congratulate you!!
Keep us updated on how you get on.
xx

 

[ni2ki]

They dont have to be in one sac to be identical, if the gap between them is large though im guessing fraternal, identicals only have a thin membrane seperating them. Congrats

 

[xSTACEx]

They dont have to be in one sac to be identical, if the gap between them is large though im guessing fraternal, identicals only have a thin membrane seperating them. Congrats

Thank you and I'm sorry if I sound naive, I'm just not knowledgable on the topic and wasn't expecting twins!

 

[chan8180]

sound like fraternal?? congratulations by the way, how exciting!!

 

[ni2ki]

Hehe youre not naive at all! Ours are a shock too, but twins are a blessing identical or not, its not something everyone is blessed with get scan pics up, all the ladies on here love piccies! Xx

 

[Ambersachef]

There is a thin line between my twins. My OB said that if they split really early like within the first few days of fertilization then they can be in their own sacks with their own placenta etc. My doctor said at this point i have a 50/50 chance of them being identical or fraternal.. I guess i have to wait until the ultrasound to determine gender... if its a boy and girl then they are definately fraternal.. also if when they are born they have two different blood types they are fraternal. Other than that if when they are born they look alike, same gender etc, then the only way to determine is by genetic testing.

 

[Anna1982]

There is a thin line between my twins. My OB said that if they split really early like within the first few days of fertilization then they can be in their own sacks with their own placenta etc. My doctor said at this point i have a 50/50 chance of them being identical or fraternal.. I guess i have to wait until the ultrasound to determine gender... if its a boy and girl then they are definately fraternal.. also if when they are born they have two different blood types they are fraternal. Other than that if when they are born they look alike, same gender etc, then the only way to determine is by genetic testing.

my sonographer told me the same thing and mine are both girls so its a waiting game lol

congrats on having twins!

mine are in seperate sacs but with only a thin membrane between them, theresd no gap between the sacs

 

[BeckyD]

It all depends on whether they were one egg that split very early on.
If it was in the first few days, they could be in separate placentas and sacs.
From wikipedia....
"In the uterus, a majority of identical twins (60–70%) share the same placenta but have separate amniotic sacs. In 18–30% of identical twins each fetus has a separate placenta and a separate amniotic sac. A small number (1–2%) of identical twins share the same placenta and amniotic sac. Fraternal twins each have their own placenta and own amniotic sac."

From a hospital point of view, they are only concerned at this stage about how to treat the pregnancy and this does vary dependent on whether they share a placenta, chorion and amnion.

 

[bek74]

I will say Fraternal...

 

[2and2]

I know someone who had one egg implanted, then a week later convieved another. She ended up with frats. But from the same egg they are likely to be identical

 

[xSTACEx]

I'll have to take some pics of my scans later. He put baby 1 & 2 on separate pictures and now my MIL is here and it's a surprise. lol

 

[xSTACEx]

Here are the scan pics from 3-25-11 (5 wks, 1 day). 2nd u/s will be this Friday 4/1/11 (6 wks, 1 day). I'm so curious if they'll be identical or fraternal. Let me know what you guys think (since there's no definite way to tell yet)!

BABY A
https://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a4/xenjoythesilencex/babya.jpg

BABY B
https://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a4/xenjoythesilencex/babyb.jpg

 

[TTC DH FIFO]

Hi there,

I'm expecting twin boys which I am told are fraternal. They have their own amniotic and chorionic sac's aswell as their own placenta's. The membrane between them is thick and so this is why there is apparently "no chance" that they are identical. The thought keeps crossing my mind tho as they are both boys lol I wont be convinced until they are born lol

Congratulations on your twin pregnancy

 

[BeckyD]

I didn't have my first scan until 12 weeks - my avatar shows how close they were then!

 

[DanniBear]

Mine have separate plecenters! But I have seen on the Internet they still have a 1 in 3 chance of being identical! I would like them to be xx

 

[ni2ki]

If the zygote splits very early (in the first 2 days after fertilization) they may develop separate after fertilization) they may develop separate placentas (chorion) and separate sacs (amnion). These are called dichorionic, diamniotic (or 'di/di') twins.* While all fraternal twins are 'di/di', this occurs 20 - 30% of the time in identical twins. this occurs 20 - 30% of the time in identica twins. You would have been told if theyre di/di or mo/di etc as they have to class you as your care depends on it. If theyre identical youll be scanned every two weeks

 

[bek74]

You may think u only triggered on egg but it could have been 2 and by your scan I would say you do just that.
A lady who was in special care with her babies when mine were in had IVF and they only put one embryo in but she also ovulated at the same time and conceived naturally also and ended up fraternal twin girls.

 

[DanniBear]

Good luck with all your twin pregnancys!

 

[xSTACEx]

Thanks for all the kind replies. We still don't know what's going on, but I still feel in my heart they were conceived at 2 different times. I think one was when we BDed the night before IUI. On our 2nd ultrasound (at 6 weeks, 1 day), they measured a couple days apart and one had a heartbeat and the other didn't yet. It didn't worry me because I feel the smaller one is from the IUI. I just can't wait to know for sure. My 3rd ultrasound is Friday (7 weeks, 1 day) and hopefully both will have grown and have healthy hearts.