‘Oh but twins are common in IVF’

These days I hate telling people I conceived via IVF. Not because there is any shame in it but because straight away it’s like people have this moment where the magic of my identical twins is taken away ‘oh right IVF that’s why you have twins!’… um sorry Karen do you know statistics I don’t? Are 90% of IVF pregnancies twins?

Well, let me tell you some statistics…

The chance of naturally becoming pregnant with identical twins is 0.45%

The change of becoming pregnant with identical twins in IVF is 0.95%

Most people don’t stop to consider how identical twins are vastly different to fraternal twins.

In some circumstances in Australia, you can have more than 1 embryo transferred (embryo = baby) but you must meet certain criteria and it’s not as common these days as it was! Multiple embryos transferred means higher chances of fraternal twins or higher multiples as you’re putting back multiple babies in hopes they’ll stick. In this case yes fertility treatments would increase the chance of multiples!! This is also the case with some fertility drugs in other treatments like IUI or assisted ovulation where it prompts your body to release multiple follicles!! (Follicles = eggs look that once fertilised = embryos/babies!)

Identical twins are a single baby (embryo) splitting in the first week after insemination creating 2 of the exact same human (cool right!)

So looking at the image above my boys are identical’s like in the middle picture! the embryo did not split before day 3 as the embryo I had transferred was a day 3 embryo (grown for 3 days under the scientist’s watchful eye before being returned to me!) so we could assume it was day 4-5 that it split and that’s why they had their own sacs but shared their placenta!

I have known for many years that I was going to have twins, call it a feeling, intuition, prophecy, word from God, whatever sits well with you! I actually asked the IVF doctor if I could have 2 embryos transferred and was told flat out no, twins was not to be desired as it can be a pregnancy full of complications! I actually thought at that point I was taking away my chance at twins because it wouldn’t happen naturally, as a Christian I shouldn’t have questioned Gods ability or tried to take the miracle from him!!

I knew before the scan I had 2 babies growing, I don’t know how I was just 100% sure there was more than 1 in there!!

Having twins is easily the hardest and most rewarding achievement in my life. I have been told that the chances of a second set of twins is increased dramatically after your first set… Hubby has told me there is no way we are taking those chances!

Leave a comment below with any twin questions you may have for us!!

Information taken from the below sites. http://www.popsugar.com.au/parenting/Chances-Having-Twins-IVF-IUI-44078588/amp. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/10/181009102542.htm. https://www.verywellfamily.com/what-are-my-chances-of-having-twins-1960180