Does the mother have to have the genes in order to have fraternal twins?

Question

My husband is a fraternal twin and I have no twins in my family.

I was wondering if it is possible for us to have twins or if it has to be in my genes.

It doesnt seem possible for his sperm to be able to create twins when I would need to have two eggs to produce the twins.

Answer 1

Usually twins are passed on genetically skipping a generation.

Answer 2

'That Guy' is wrong.  Fraternal twins are created when a woman ovulates TWO eggs in the same cycle, and both are fertilized by two different sperm.

Identical twins are a natural phenomena during which an already fertilized egg seperates into two eggs AFTER it has already been fertilized.  Identical twins are random and cannot be influenced by anything.

However, if a woman has it in her genes from EITHER (father can pass it down, even if he has no ovaries to use the gene) side of her family, she may increase the chances of having fraternal twins.

Your husband's twinness, therefore, is not facotred into this equation.  You still have a chance of twins- 1 in 32, the same as everyone else.

Good luck!

Answer 3

Twins is not a passed on genetic effect.

Fraternal twins happen when two different sperm enter the egg at the same time and both fertilize it.

Identical twins happen when the egg is fertilized and the cell starts to split, and somehow separate, and both go on to become viable embryos.

Answer 4

my husband is a fraternal twin also! Fraternal twins run in his mother's family so I'm not getting my hopes up... although I guess anyone could possibly release two eggs in a cycle... good luck!

Answer 5

That is interesting

Because Ive heard that fraternal twins is when the mother produces 2 eggs

And itentical is when the egg splits

Im not sure but anythings possible?

Answer 6

Yes and no...

Just because your husband is a fraternal twin, does not mean that he carries a genetic predisposition.  Fraternal twins occur when the mother releases more than one egg in a short time frame.  While some women may be more prone to do this than others, it can happen to any woman at any time.  It can also be influenced by fertility drugs.

But, you are correct in that if your husband does carry some sort of genetic quirk in this way, it would pass to his female offspring, and have no impact on your chances of having twins.