How to conceive opposite-sex twins. How to conceive twins naturally: calculate the probability

Many young couples dream of having a child, considering a family without children to be incomplete. Some people are able to conceive and give birth to a baby right away, while others have been trying to have a baby for years without success. It should be noted that today the number of multiple pregnancies has increased sharply. At the same time, some couples dream of having twins and are looking for a way to conceive twins.

There is no method that can guarantee multiple pregnancies. But at the same time, it is possible to identify women who are more likely to experience this state increased. It should be noted that carrying twins is a rather difficult process, the risk of complications in which is much higher than in a normal pregnancy. Before planning the birth of twins, the expectant mother needs to make sure that her body can bear such a load.

There are several types of multiple pregnancies. One of them is characterized by the development and fertilization of several (most often two) eggs. After fertilization, two zygotes are formed. In this case, we can expect the birth of fraternal twins who have different DNA. Such children are similar to each other, like the most ordinary brothers or sisters. The gender of the babies can be the same or different. In situations where a boy and a girl are born as a result of a multiple pregnancy, we are talking exclusively about fraternal twins.

If one egg matures and is fertilized during the menstrual cycle, identical twins are born. This occurs due to the fact that a few days after fertilization the zygote divides. If you study the pregnancy calendar, you can establish that this division can occur in 3 to 12 days. These twins share a common placenta and amniotic sac. Children are always born of the same sex and are incredibly similar to each other. The reason for this is identical DNA. If the division of the zygote occurs on the 13th day or later, this leads to severe pathology and the birth of Siamese twins.

According to statistics, each of 80 pregnancies is multiple. At the same time, identical twins are born once in 250 pregnancies.

The number of non-identical pregnancies tends to increase. The reason for this is the development of reproductive medicine and the widespread use of hormonal contraceptives. During the process of in vitro fertilization, several fertilized eggs are implanted into the woman’s uterus at once, which can take root. Many hormonal contraceptives also contribute to the simultaneous maturation of several eggs.

Modern science still does not name the exact reasons for the sudden division of the zygote, which leads to the development of an identical multiple pregnancy. It is believed that the basis this process there is a genetic predisposition. If a woman's grandmother has given birth to twins in the past, then her chances of conceiving twins greatly increase. The age of the expectant mother matters - usually multiple pregnancy develops in women after thirty years of age. The largest number of multiple pregnancies, as evidenced by the table of twin birth rates for different races, was recorded among African peoples, and the smallest among Asian peoples.

Natural ways to give birth to twins

Nutrition and vitamins

There are recommendations on how to conceive twins naturally. They will not harm the body. For this reason, you can use these folk methods without fear for your health and the health of your unborn baby. Thus, folic acid has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the woman’s reproductive system. It is believed that products that contain this component should be consumed by anyone who wants to give birth to twins soon.

The vitamin and mineral content table shows that the highest levels of folic acid are found in the following foods:

  • green vegetables;
  • beans;
  • citrus fruit;
  • flour products made from wholemeal flour;
  • liver;
  • whole grain cereals.

Folk methods of conceiving twins involve the use of all of the above products. Folic acid is also called vitamin B9. This substance not only increases the chances of getting pregnant, but also reduces the likelihood of developing severe defects associated with the neural tube of the fetus. It is for this reason that pregnant women are often prescribed injections of the drug or oral folic acid.

To undergo a maintenance course of treatment with Folic Acid, it is best to create an individual calendar for taking pills. They are usually available in 1 and 5 milligram dosages. Tablets with a dosage of 1 mg are taken for the purpose of prevention twice a day. Women who want to conceive a child, or are already carrying a baby, should take 1 tablet with a dosage of 5 mg once a day. The schedule for folic acid injections should be prescribed by a qualified doctor.

Hormone therapy

If you want to know how to conceive twins, there is another fairly effective method. Typically, taking hormonal contraceptives changes a woman's hormonal levels. If pregnancy occurs immediately after stopping taking such drugs, there is a high chance of conceiving two babies at once. It is not difficult to explain this phenomenon - after stopping the drug, the ovaries begin to work better, but after a short period of time the body adapts, and during one menstrual cycle one egg matures. For this reason, women who have stopped taking contraceptives and do not want to have multiple pregnancies are advised to wait up to three months before conceiving. It is important to note that the menstrual cycle calendar will help you choose the most favorable days to get pregnant.

Preparing for the gestation process

While carrying a baby, the expectant mother's body is subjected to enormous stress. If she is expecting twins, the load doubles. For this reason, it is very important to prepare in advance for the process of pregnancy and childbirth. The first thing you need to do is draw up a menstrual cycle calendar and contact a gynecologist for a routine examination. Before conceiving twins, you need to improve your own health. It is important to get rid of excess weight, as it makes the pregnancy process much more difficult.

Fitness classes have a beneficial effect on women's bodies. They will not only help normalize weight, but also strengthen muscles, heart, breathing, which will certainly make the process of pregnancy and childbirth less difficult.

Regardless of whether you use traditional methods of conceiving twins, or consult a doctor for drug stimulation of ovulation, you need to make sure that you have previously been immunized. There is a calendar of mandatory vaccinations that must be done before pregnancy. They are able to protect the life and health of the baby. For example, a rubella vaccine will protect a pregnant woman from a dangerous disease that is incompatible with the life of the fetus.

It is advisable to undergo examination by a dentist, since during pregnancy such treatment can negatively affect the baby. It should be taken into account that during pregnancy a woman may develop new diseases of the teeth and gums. For this reason, it is better to play it safe and get the required treatment.

In general, it can be noted that before a planned pregnancy, it is necessary to solve all existing health problems, since their treatment will be difficult in the next 40 weeks.

There is no reliable way that is guaranteed to help you conceive twins. At the same time, traditional medicine gives many recommendations on how to become happy parents of twins. Naturally, such a miracle occurs due to the characteristics of the body and genetic predisposition to multiple pregnancies.

Many parents sometimes have a strong desire to give birth to twins. Such children will grow up together, will always entertain each other, and in the future, having a brother or sister will only be a plus. But just wanting to become pregnant with twins will not be enough. What needs to be done for this?

It is common knowledge that conceiving twins may not happen in every family. What factors contribute to such a miracle as the birth of twins?

  1. Presence of family predisposition. It has been proven that the ability to become pregnant with twins is of genetic origin and is transmitted hereditarily, therefore, if there are cases of twins or twins in the family, a woman has a good chance of continuing the family tradition.
  2. Hormonal features. For twins to be conceived, two eggs must be involved. Taking hormonal drugs can contribute to this factor. Quite often this happens when a woman stops taking hormonal contraceptives. In such a situation, several female mature cells simultaneously mature and leave the ovaries. If a woman has problems with ovulation, then she is prescribed follicle-stimulating hormonal agents, under the influence of which several cells can simultaneously mature and become ripe for fertilization.
  3. Age characteristics. Pregnancy with twins is most typical for women 30-40 years of age.
  4. Race. It is more common for women of the Negroid and Mongoloid races to become pregnant with twins naturally.

How likely is it to be pregnant with twins?

If a woman really wants to conceive twins, then she will significantly increase her chances if she turns to a specialist. Only an experienced gynecologist can eliminate unnecessary doubts and determine whether a woman is capable of becoming pregnant with twins. The main factor in multiple conception is the genetic tendency and the ability of the female cell to split in two, thereby maximizing the likelihood of conceiving twins. If there have been no cases of multiple births in the family, and you really want to give birth to twins, then you should look for a partner who has a genetic tendency and is capable of fertilization.

Observations prove that after undergoing a course of infertility therapy, a woman’s chances of multiple pregnancies increase significantly, which is associated with the use of follicle-stimulating hormonal drugs, which stimulate the simultaneous maturation of several female cells.

Types of twins

There are several options for twins: monozygotic, dizygotic and polar. Monozygotic identical twins are called monozygotic. They develop from one female cell, fertilized by one sperm, but divided into two absolutely identical embryos. Medicine has not yet been able to determine the reasons for this division. Such babies are born with the same appearance and similar character.

Dizygotic twins are non-identical twins, the development of which occurred due to the fertilization of two eggs by two different sperm. Such twins are more common in gynecology than identical twins, because such conception can be achieved with the help of medications, IVF and other medical procedures.

Stimulation of conception of twins

Gynecologists say that in recent years More and more women are having twins. The reason for this trend is the fact that modern girls, against the background of early sexual activity, begin to take hormonal contraceptives early. If a girl attempts to conceive immediately after stopping the drug, the likelihood of conceiving twins will be quite high.

In the process of treatment for female infertility, ovarian stimulation also occurs. At this time, the ovaries increase their ability to produce female cells, so the likelihood of implantation of several embryos at the same time and the occurrence of multiple conceptions is quite high.

Science has long been studying the question of how twins are conceived. Several probable trends have been identified that predispose to the conception of twins.

Scientists were also able to trace the psychological aspect of twin pregnancy - you need to incredibly want to give birth to twins, and now it’s time to start a twin pregnancy calendar. Incredibly, there have been cases when a woman, in all respects incapable of conceiving twins, managed to become pregnant with twins, having really wanted it.

Effect of posture

I want twins - how to conceive. Gynecologists hear this question very often. It turns out that the sex and number of embryos can be affected by the position in which conception occurred. The most successful positions for twins are those that involve deep penetration. It is in these positions that it is easier for sperm to reach the cell. And then genetics will decide how many children you will become during this pregnancy. If a cell divides, there will be twins, and if 2 cells come out and are fertilized, then there will be twins.

Herbs to help

How to conceive twins naturally? Some people find herbal remedies help. One of these is sage, which is considered a natural remedy that promotes conception. Many women claim that this herb can work a miracle and give birth to a child, even in a situation where doctors have diagnosed pathological infertility. The essence is in estrogen-like substances, which sage is rich in. But the hormone estrogen has a huge impact on the follicular development of the egg. It’s not for nothing that sage grass is also called a phytohormone.

The main thing is to take the herbal decoction according to a certain scheme, and when pregnancy occurs, its use must be stopped immediately. Otherwise, the decoction will lead to an increase in the concentration of progesterone hormone, which will provoke a stop in fetal development, i.e., will actually lead to a frozen pregnancy. Increasing the dosage can also have unpleasant consequences such as poisoning or an allergic reaction.

Nutritional nature

How can you conceive twins by changing your diet? Experts advise including foods that help stimulate follicular activity in your daily diet. This category includes:

By the way, a slight excess of body weight helps in solving the issue of how to get pregnant with twins. Moreover, this fact has already been scientifically proven. With a few extra pounds, a characteristic increase in the concentration of estrogen occurs, which contributes to the development of several eggs at the same time.

How to conceive twins of the same sex

In addition to the traditional question of how to conceive twins, many are also concerned about the gender of future babies. If a couple is trying to conceive twin boys, then the woman is recommended to somewhat masculinize her diet by adding dark chocolate and coffee, fish and meat, lentils and potatoes, peas and mushrooms, any sausages, dried fruits and any fruit. In addition, attempts at conception must be made with deep penetration, because Y-sperm, which conceive boys, is less vital and it is more difficult for them to get to the uterus. Deep penetration will significantly shorten the distance and help the “players” get to the target. Of course, these methods do not provide guarantees, but they still increase the chances of having twin boys.

If the question is slightly different - how to conceive twin girls, then the dietary criteria change significantly. You need to include aromatic herbs and honey, jam and spices in your diet, but you should avoid caffeine-containing products and salty foods. As for the position, shallow penetration, characteristic of the missionary position, is desirable.

There is another theory - the age of the blood. It is known that blood in the male body is renewed every 4 years, and in the female - every 3. The calculation should begin from the moment when the woman last time lost a lot of blood, for example, during surgery, abortion or childbirth. Whose blood is younger at the time of conception will be the gender of the child.

There is a belief that in order to successfully conceive twins, you need to go to a place where there is a high percentage of such children. Similar places exist in the Krasnodar region and in the Carpathians. It has not yet been possible to explain such a high percentage of twins in these regions. It is also believed that tall women are more likely to have twins than short women. The chance of twins increases with each new conception and birth, i.e. a first-time mother is unlikely to be able to become pregnant with twins, but with the second and subsequent pregnancies the chances increase significantly.

The female body is very complex, so it is almost impossible to calculate gender and multiple births in advance. Even following all the recommendations does not guarantee that you will be able to get pregnant with twins of the desired sex. But the power of thought and desire often works wonders, materializing a woman’s irresistible desire to become the mother of charming twins.

The birth of a child in a family is a real joy. But when twins are born, it is not only double concern, but also double joy for the entire family, especially since the birth of twins is considered a real natural phenomenon. Once upon a time in ancient times, people even worshiped twins, considered them similar to a deity and named the stars in their honor, and those who were lucky enough to be born so similar friend on each other, were given special privileges.

It is considered natural for a person to carry a singleton pregnancy, but many future parents themselves want to conceive twins, so that in the future they can have several children at once and go through the path “conception - pregnancy - childbirth” only once. Naturally, there are no guarantees that you will give birth to twins, but there are some methods by which you can find out whether how to conceive twins or twins.



Identical and fraternal twins

Before you know how to conceive twins, let's dive into medical concepts. It turns out that twins can be of two types, that is, dizygotic, or fraternal, and monozygotic, or identical. In the first case, children develop from two immediately fertilized eggs. This occurs when two or more eggs are conceived, which can mature in one or two of a woman’s ovaries at once. Children from such a pregnancy have a fairly high percentage of similarity, but their genotypes are only 50% the same, and with approximately the same frequency they can be not only the same sex, but also different sexes.

Monozygotic twins are the result of fertilization of one egg with just one sperm, but then, when the zygote begins to divide and develop, two embryos are formed. The origin of this phenomenon has not yet been scientifically revealed, especially since in this case twins are born very similar to each other. It is believed that among monozygotic twins, male children predominate most.



What influences the birth of twins?

Let's take a closer look at the factors that will help many future parents find out: how to conceive twin boys or how to conceive twin girls? According to statistics, for almost every hundred ordinary births there is one birth of twins. Factors that influence the conception of twins include:

  • Heredity. Most often, twins are born in families where twins have already been born on the mother’s side. By the way, some women may experience several ovulations during one menstrual cycle, which is natural multiple ovulation.
  • Time of conception. More so in the spring, when the sun warms up noticeably, which means the activity of female and male sex hormones increases.
  • Age of the expectant mother. Identical twins can occur in any woman who is exposed to all factors, but expectant mothers over 35-45 years of age have a much greater chance of becoming pregnant and giving birth to identical twins.
  • Race. It turns out that race also plays a significant role in conception, since it happens much more often in black mothers.
  • Medicines. No matter how surprising it may sound, in some cases, those mothers who took drugs aimed at conceiving twins have a chance to conceive. Multiple pregnancy as a result of artificial insemination is also possible.



What should you eat?

Many parents who have conceived and given birth to twins associate their joy with their diet. There is also a chance to conceive twins during lactation, because the mother’s body does not have time to rebuild during the period of feeding the child, and therefore during ovulation the egg may malfunction. It is worth paying attention to menstrual cycle women, because quite recently doctors have proven that expectant mothers with a cycle of approximately 18-20 days have a chance to conceive twins.

It is clear that there is no one hundred percent guarantee of conceiving twins, both identical and fraternal, because the probability of their conception cannot directly depend on anything and is relatively constant. However, thanks to some factors, there is hope for the chance of having two babies at once.

How to conceive twins? video

How to conceive twins photo:


In practice, just the desire to become parents of twins is not enough. Achieving what you want is not so easy. After all, according to statistics, twins are only obtained in one out of 80 cases pregnancy.

Nowadays, twins are born much more often. This happens mainly because that many women start taking birth control and other pills early hormonal drugs, or treat infertility by using medications that stimulate the ovaries and promote conception.

If your case belongs to this list, then you can console yourself with the hope that you will soon give birth to twins.

Who are the twins?

Twins- These are children of different identities. Such a pregnancy occurs when two eggs are simultaneously fertilized by different sperm. Each fetus is formed in a separate placenta.

Twins can be either similar or completely different. The same goes for gender.

Scientists have been able to establish that the predisposition to having twins is transmitted genetically through the maternal line.

The chance of conceiving twins is 3 times higher than conceiving twins. It has also been noted that twins are more often born to older women.

At 20-30 years old expectant mother has 3% chance conceive twins naturally. A at the age of 30-40 years these chances increase to 6% .

With each subsequent pregnancy, the possibility of conceiving twins also increases, because the birth of a child is accompanied in most cases. And women who are slightly overweight are much more likely to become pregnant with twins.

In addition, according to studies, mothers who breastfeed and become pregnant during this period are more likely to conceive twins.

How can you conceive twins?


It is easiest for Middle Easterners and Africans to conceive twins. Geographical factors also play an important role in creating twins.

For example, in the village of Kopan (Carpathians), 54 pairs of fraternal children were born over 50 years. The villagers say that this is due to the healing water source that the village has. It is he who creates favorable conditions for the birth of twins.

Therefore, many who want to become doubly happy parents come to this source. And some couples managed to conceive twins after a trip to this magical place.

In the Rostov region, in the village of Denisovka, amazing phenomena were also recorded. There for every 500 people there are 19 pairs of twins. This is influenced by fertile soil.

Local residents say they know how to get pregnant with twins. In their opinion, even after staying in this village, the husband and wife will be able to conceive two children at the same time.

Artificial insemination and twins

Doctors also know about the secrets of conceiving children of different identities. The method, like nothing else, contributes to their birth.

After all, thanks to this method Several eggs are fertilized at the same time, which are immediately transplanted into the woman. The likelihood that in this case two babies will be born is very high.

If you really want to give birth to twins, but IVF is not the initial method for you,... He will tell you how to make your dream come true.

Before going to the doctor Find out all the information about your family, take medical histories (your own and your husband’s), and then go for qualified advice.

When conceiving twin girls, the position in which you make love is of great importance. In this case, it is better to refuse deep penetration. The missionary position is more suitable.

Also have a special diet, which increases the chances of conceiving girls. Your daily diet should include sugar, spices, aromatic herbs, and jams. It is recommended to avoid products containing caffeine and salty foods.

Another method is built on the theory of youthful blood. It is generally accepted that it is this factor that determines the gender of the child.

Because A woman's blood is renewed every three years, and a man's - every four, it is necessary to carry out a countdown that starts from the last major blood loss: surgery, abortion, childbirth.

Depending on whose blood turns out to be younger at the time of conception, you will be able to determine the gender of the unborn baby.

How to conceive twin boys?

  1. Guided by desire to become parents of twin boys, you can use positions with deep penetration, which are good because it is easier for Y-sperm to have a short distance to the uterus and they live less than their X-rivals. There is information that the favorable penetration of these sperm is much more effective after a woman’s orgasm, since substances are released that contribute to the vitality of Y-sperm.
  2. Have sex before ovulation. Guess the timing of this process female body necessary due to the short lifespan of Y sperm. This will increase their chances of getting to a mature egg faster than their counterparts.
  3. Stick to it special diet which provides for the exclusion of dairy drinks from the diet,

Planning for twins - reality or fantasy?
I recently became interested in the issue of planning twins. And the main source of information, as always, was the global Internet.
So, before finding out whether it is possible to plan twins and how to do it (and it is unlikely that a doctor can achieve this, because multiple pregnancies are associated with many risk factors), you need to understand WHAT twins are and how they can happen. That is, is it possible to artificially influence this process?
On any website dedicated to motherhood, in any medical encyclopedia, you will find that twins can be identical and fraternal.

Let's imagine the process of fertilization. The father's sperm penetrates the mother's egg. As a rule, 1 sp-d + 1 cell = 1 embryo. But there are cases in nature when, in the early stages of its development, a fertilized egg begins to divide slightly differently than usual, and the embryo divides in two - a pair of Identical twins is obtained, that is, twins from one egg and one sperm, twins absolutely identical and with the same genes. If some malfunctions occur during the division of the embryo into two, you may end up with SIAMES, that is, conjoined twins. Remember, only identical twins can be Siamese, because this is the result of improper division of one embryo. Fraternal twins As a rule, they are located in different membranes and cannot grow together.
Scientists still have not figured out what exactly should affect the embryo in order for it to split into two twins. It's kind of a joke of nature.

There is, however, information that there are several so-called in the world. "twin villages", that is, places where a lot of identical twins are born. Scientists have conducted research on the causes of this phenomenon, but have not come to a clear conclusion about what exactly affects such fertility. In Russia there is also such a town, but it is located not far from some kind of nuclear reactor.

So planning for identical twins is useless.
By the way, the factor of heredity in conception is precisely identical twins Doesn't play ANY role. That is, if your grandmother had identical twins in her family, your chances of conceiving identical twins do not increase at all.
Now about the fraternal twins. Just by the very structure of the word “fraternal” it is clear that such twins are born from DIFFERENT EGGS.

The number of sperm does not matter here. One egg is always fertilized by one sperm, although modern science There are known cases when the second sperm also entered the egg for a fraction of time, but was pushed out, however, even its short-term stay had an impact on the unborn baby.

So, there are cases when a woman’s body, instead of one, produces two or even more eggs, and if both of them are fertilized and take root, the result is fraternal twins.
Heredity is often very important here, but heredity is ONLY on the part of the woman. How many twins were born in her husband’s family is absolutely not important, because several eggs should be formed in HER, and not in her husband.
It is IMPOSSIBLE to artificially make sure that you are GUARANTEED to give birth to fraternal twins. And yet there are several cases when a woman’s body produces more than one egg, and you can still try to provoke such cases.

If you score in search engine, say, in RAMBLER, “planning for twins” or “planning for twins”, then the system will give you many links to the same article posted on different sites. This is the article “Planning for twins” from the magazine “Mom and Me” by Elena Warrior, an endocrinologist-geneticist, and Valentina Medunitsa, a pediatrician-geneticist. It talks about almost the same thing that I wrote about. And then the authors of the article provide the following information about planning twins, I quote:
“Artificial “planning” occurs differently. If pregnancy has already occurred and the woman knows about it, then in any case it is impossible to change the course of events by any means. Because on the very first day of the fertilization process, information about the future child is laid down, including, will he be alone or will there be two of them.

But there is one such option when the likelihood of a multiple pregnancy is higher. This is possible during stimulation of ovulation during the treatment of infertility in women (anuovulatory disease), when a woman is prescribed special drugs that stimulate egg growth, follicle rupture, etc. In such a situation, the body seems to wake up and can “release” several eggs at once. Of course, it all depends on the single dose of the drug.

With artificial insemination, the likelihood of conceiving and having twins becomes even higher. Indeed, in addition to prescribing stimulating drugs, the doctor specifically tries to grow as many eggs as possible in order to have them “in reserve.” There are many reasons for such reinsurance: not every egg can be “caught” in time, not every one of them will survive in vitro, fertilization may not occur at all, and the embryo does not always take root. Therefore, several fertilized eggs are introduced into the uterus. At the woman's request, she is left with one embryo or all of them (which almost always happens - the maternal instinct is triggered).

It is extremely dangerous to stimulate this process yourself. Firstly, with an overdose (hyperstimulation), ovarian cysts and bleeding very often occur. Only a specialist should select the drug, prescribe the dose and monitor the treatment process. Usually, "Clomephene acetate" or "FSH" are prescribed, the effect of which does not affect the child in any way. Secondly, if a woman does not yet know about pregnancy and decides on her own, without consulting a doctor, to take these medications, she puts the already conceived child at great risk, since in this case the effect of such medications may further affect its sexual development.

In an absolutely healthy woman, these drugs can most often cause a sharp enlargement of the ovaries, their soreness, an increase in temperature, and the development and rupture of cysts. If such a woman has an obsessive desire to give birth to twins in spite of everything, then she cannot do without the help of a psychiatrist. If you are simply interested in what your chances of having twins are, only a geneticist can help predict their birth. You just need to make a pedigree from at least the fourth generation in the direct line and the line of cousins, and also undergo the appropriate examination.”

For those interested, here is a link to the entire article.
After conducting additional research on the Internet, I found out that there is such a hormone - follicle-stimulating hormone or, for short, FSH. It is this hormone that influences the formation of follicles with eggs by a woman’s ovaries.
If there is a lot of FSH in a woman’s body, then two or more eggs can be formed in one cycle.

And if there is not enough of this hormone in the body, the woman suffers from a disease called “anovulatory infertility” - that is, she does not ovulate and eggs are not formed.
It is in this case, when no other reasons for the woman not becoming pregnant have been identified (the fallopian tubes are passable and the husband’s sperm is fine), ovulation is stimulated. The doctor prescribes a drug to a woman, which in the article is called “clomephene acetate” - apparently, so that women cannot find this drug on their own, or, in the case of clomiphene resistance, that is, if the woman is resistant to this drug (in other words, if the result is so and did not occur), a stronger drug is prescribed - FSH, that is, this hormone in its pure form.

In addition, these drugs are usually prescribed before in vitro fertilization (IVF) in order to grow more eggs and create more embryos (which is why multiple pregnancies are often a consequence of IVF.
Now cases when multiple pregnancy is caused by the abolition of oral contraceptives.

Many of these drugs are based on the suppression of FSH, that is, the ovaries are temporarily put to sleep. When a woman stops taking contraceptives, the body's natural FSH is released and the ovaries "wake up." Often at this moment there is a sharp rise in FSH in the body, which is why in the first month after withdrawal birth control pills(provided that they were taken for more than three months, and in the case of some drugs - more than six months) the woman produces two or more eggs suitable for fertilization.

So, we found out that the reason for the appearance of several eggs in a woman’s body in one cycle is follicle-stimulating hormone or FSH, or more precisely, its increased level.

In the next part, I will write about when FSH levels are higher than usual under natural conditions, and I will also talk in more detail about how you can increase it with medication.
As we have already found out, follicle-stimulating hormone is responsible for the maturation of eggs. Its level increases if a woman stops taking hormonal hormones. oral contraceptives after 3-6 months of regular use. However, what should those who have not taken birth control pills or are afraid of the effect on the baby of certain substances that can still remain in the body from oral contraceptives for 1-2 months?

Let me make a reservation right away: if you took the pills, then you CANNOT take ovarian stimulating drugs for 3-4 cycles after stopping them. This is fraught with cysts and ovarian hyperstimulation.
So, what exactly drugs stimulate ovulation? In the excerpt from the article that I cited in the first part, clomephene acetate and FSH were mentioned. Searches on the Internet for more detailed information about the mysterious clomephene acetate were not crowned with success. Then I decided to learn about the process of stimulating ovulation. And here a long-awaited discovery awaited me: a drug for the treatment of anovulatory disease is called Clomiphene Citrate. It is produced by various pharmaceutical companies under the following names: Clomid, Clostil, Clostilbegit, Serofen, etc. In this case, we are talking about the same drug in the same dosage. In Russia, Klostilbegit is the most popular, its price is on average 500 rubles.
Treatment of anovulatory disease in women usually occurs as follows. First, the woman and her partner undergo all the necessary examinations, which should show that it is the absence of ovulation that prevents the conception of a child. Next, the mildest stimulating drug Clomiphene citrate is prescribed from the fifth to ninth days of the cycle (the first day of the cycle is the first day of menstruation). If three cycles do not bring results during pregnancy, then it is customary to talk about clomiphene resistance, that is, the woman’s resistance to the drug. In this case, the woman is prescribed stronger and more expensive hormonal drugs, which I will not talk about, since I am not writing about the treatment of anovulation, but about planning twins, because the first should ONLY take place under the strict supervision of a doctor. However, planning for twins should not be limited to home experiments either.
Clomiphene citrate is not a harmless drug. It has many unpleasant side effects and contraindications.
First of all, clomiphene citrate is contraindicated during pregnancy, as it can negatively affect the sexual development of the unborn baby. Menstruation does not mean the absence of pregnancy. Firstly, it may not be menstruation itself, but spotting of a different origin. And secondly, there are cases when even during pregnancy women continue to have menstruation, which is why a woman may not know about pregnancy until the fifth month.

Therefore, before taking clomiphene, you should do some pregnancy tests or an ultrasound. Moreover, from the very beginning of the cycle until the end of taking the drug sex life It's better not to lead.

In addition, clomiphene citrate is contraindicated for ovarian cysts. Therefore, if you decide to stimulate ovulation yourself, then you need to do an ultrasound of the ovaries. This condition is strictly necessary, because taking the drug if you have cysts can have a very negative effect on your body. And this is unlikely to lead to a successful pregnancy. If you are uncomfortable asking for an extraordinary ultrasound scan at the district antenatal clinic or clinic, you can contact a paid center.
If you have the opportunity, it is also advisable to check the patency of the tubes before taking this drug. So that your efforts do not go in vain.

Once again I would like to emphasize that clomiphene citrate is not a vitamin. In life, it can only be taken for 6 cycles, no more, otherwise you may experience early ovarian depletion.
One of the side effects of clomiphene citrate is the negative effect of the drug on the endometrium - the inner lining of the uterus. Since the embryo will attach to this layer, it is better to take care of its sufficient thickness. This is why I recommend taking vitamin E 100 before stimulation. In addition, in order to avoid early miscarriage due to poor endometrium, the doctor usually prescribes Duphaston or Utrozhestan from days 16 to 22 of the cycle (these are different names for the same drug). This is not a prerequisite, but it seems to me that it is better to be safe.

Clomiphene citrate should not be taken if the ovaries are hypersensitive or if there is hepatic-renal failure. If this is the case for you, do not risk your health for the sake of twins! Believe me, even if taking the drug is successful, your kidneys may not be able to cope with the load in the third trimester. They also fail in many women with healthy kidneys and singleton pregnancies. You risk not only ending up in intensive care, but also losing your long-awaited babies!

I would like to draw your attention to the fact that all of these side effects, especially dizziness, weakness, depression, nausea, hot flashes, are very common.
Before writing this research
Well, I read several discussions on forums dedicated to the treatment of anovulation. And many women complained about these side effects clomiphene. Although there were those who did not notice any negative changes in themselves after taking this drug.
If everything you have learned about this drug has made you change your mind about medicinal planning for twins, you can find out about in what cases you can plan for twins. So, the main “risk factors” for multiple pregnancy:

Woman's age
Another scientifically proven factor that increases the likelihood of having twins is a woman’s age. You can usually read that the older the expectant mother is, the more likely she is to give birth to twins. However, it's not that simple. Very young mothers aged about 18 really have minimal chances. Their probability of having twins is only 0.27%. But by the age of 25, the probability of this becomes more than 2 times greater (0.62%). At 30 years old, your initial chance will increase by 3 times and amount to 0.90%. This figure will reach its maximum by the age of 35, increasing by as much as 5.5 times (1.48%). By the age of forty, a woman’s probability of having twins begins to decrease again (at 40 years old - to 1.25%, at 45 - to 0.73%). By the end of the childbearing period (at about 48 years old), the chances of giving birth to twins are almost equal to those of an 18-year-old girl (0.30%).

The connection between a woman's age and the chance of having twins is explained by the fact that over time, a woman does not release an egg (ovulation) in every cycle - this is normal. As a result, unrealized hormones that influence ovulation accumulate and are released during the next cycle, stimulating the release of multiple eggs.

Repeated births
With each subsequent birth, the chances of giving birth to twins increase (after the second birth - two times, after the fifth - five times. If the mother has already given birth to fraternal twins, then the probability of repeating the success increases twofold. The latter fact is explained by the fact that the woman’s body , who has once conceived twins, is capable of producing multiple eggs during ovulation.

Nationality
This is still a little-studied phenomenon, but the fact remains: depending on a woman’s nationality, her chance of giving birth to twins can vary by more than 10 times. That is, if you are a resident of Nigeria, then your chances of giving birth to not one, but several babies at once, are more than 10 times greater than, for example, a Chinese woman. If we talk about races, then most often twins appear in black women, followed by representatives of the white race, and Asian women close the list. But even here, not everything is so simple. For example, in Nigeria (especially in the West), the percentage of twin births is a record high - 4.5%. That is, this means that about 10% of all newborns here are from multiple pregnancies. Although on average African women give birth to twins several times less often. But black American women have only a 1.7% chance of having twins. For European women, on average, this figure is 1.4% (while in Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands it is slightly higher, and in England – slightly less). Asian women have an average chance of 0.8%, but Chinese women have only a 0.4% chance. What explains this difference is difficult to explain.

Nutrition
With this factor, everything is not too clear yet. What is firmly known is whether malnutrition or very strict diets reduce the incidence of twins. Everything else is still in the realm of guesswork.
In general, people have long tried to link the chances of having twins with a woman’s diet. For example, in New Guinea it was believed that if a woman ate two bananas growing from the same head, she would give birth to twins. The Guarani Indians of South America thought that a woman would become the mother of twins if she ate double grains of millet.

Scientists obtained more scientifically confirmed data by studying the diet of representatives of the Yoruba people in Nigeria - record holders for the number of twins. Recent research suggests that the twins were probably born from a local variety of yam. This vegetable, a Yoruba staple food, contains a high concentration of a substance that is chemical composition similar to female hormone estrogen, which can stimulate the production of other hormones - gonadotropins. Taken together, the action of these substances appears to promote the release of more than one egg from the ovary. By the way, those representatives of this nationality who exclude yams from their diet have fewer twins. Although the mechanism of action of hormones is not yet fully understood, there is indirect evidence that they affect the conception of twins. So, if you want twins, go to Nigeria for yams!

Time of conception
It is known that the production of the hormone gonadotropin, which stimulates the ovary, is influenced by the length of daylight hours. Therefore (and this is confirmed by statistics) there is a greater chance of conceiving twins in the spring, when the sun begins to noticeably warm up and the activity of sex hormones increases. By the way, for example, in Finland, the highest frequency of double fertilization occurs in July (in summer in Finland there are white nights, that is, it is light for 24 hours), and the lowest in January (the time of the polar night).

Before you make an informed decision to plan for twins, you should be aware of all the complications that come with multiple pregnancies.

1) Toxicosis. In multiple pregnancies, first trimester toxicosis occurs much more often than in singleton pregnancies. In addition, it occurs more severely and takes longer. Toxicosis of the third trimester, which is otherwise called gestosis during pregnancy with twins, occurs 4 times more often than during normal pregnancy. It is accompanied by high blood pressure, swelling and protein in the urine. Even the kidneys of a healthy woman pregnant with one child often cannot cope with the increased load, and the expectant mother needs hospitalization. With multiple pregnancies, the risk of such complications is much higher, even if you have not known problems with blood pressure or kidneys since childhood.

2) Anemia. As statistical studies show, pregnant women with twins often suffer from anemia, that is, anemia. In other words, the hemoglobin level in their blood decreases significantly. Anemia is often accompanied by weakness and dizziness. And children do not receive the required amount of nutrients and oxygen, which is why their growth and development slow down.

The Medlinks.Ru website provides data from a Canadian obstetrician-gynecologist, who, in the course of his research, came to the conclusion that multiple pregnancies are associated with an increased threat to maternal health. Here is an excerpt from an article from this site:

Canadian Obstetrician and Gynecologist Dr. Mark Walker and his colleagues analyzed data on approximately 45,000 multiple pregnancies and births that occurred between 1984 and 2000 and data on 165,000 normal “single” pregnancies. Women pregnant with twins, triplets or quadruplets were 13 times more likely to have heart attacks and 2.5 times more likely to have deep vein thrombosis. During pregnancy with multiple fetuses, the risk of hypertension, postpartum hemorrhage and pulmonary edema increases. Dr. Mark Walker warns his colleagues that if a woman carrying twins begins to complain of pain in the legs, chest and difficulty breathing, then these complaints should be taken seriously.

These data suggest that if you are over 40 or have problems with your heart, blood vessels or blood pressure, any pregnancy can be dangerous for you, and a multiple pregnancy can be deadly.

3) Prematurity. The average pregnancy duration for twins is 36-37 weeks, and for triplets - 32-34 weeks. In later stages, the uterus becomes overstretched, increasing the risk of preterm birth because pressure on the cervix increases.

The risk of premature birth often prompts doctors to prescribe bed rest to pregnant women, sometimes requiring special stitches to be placed on the cervix. If you are not ready to follow all the doctor’s instructions, incl. and regarding bed rest, you must be prepared for early birth, which can lead to the death of babies or to serious problems with their health.

You must listen to your body and try not to miss any warning signs. If any symptom frightens you, you should immediately consult a doctor and try to follow all his instructions. If the doctor from the regional residential complex seems incompetent to you, try to consult with a doctor from another center at the same time, or ask for a referral for a consultation to MONIIAG (Moscow Regional Scientific Research Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology) or the Scientific Center for Aging and Pregnancy of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences ( Science Center Obstetrics of Gynecology and Perinatology of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences), since multiple births are officially recognized as a complication of pregnancy. If the doctor refuses to give you a referral, you can undergo a paid consultation at the same centers. They have proven themselves to be the best in Russia, and there the risk of seeing an incompetent doctor, who also costs a lot of money, is lower. You can find the websites of these centers on the Internet.

In addition, if you are planning a pregnancy with twins, you should find in advance a maternity hospital with a good pediatric intensive care unit or a maternity hospital that specializes in premature births, for example, maternity hospital No. 15 or maternity hospital at City Clinical Hospital No. 7. More detailed information about maternity hospitals in Moscow can be found on the Internet. You must be prepared for the fact that children will be born ahead of time and try to meet this situation fully prepared.

4) Surgical delivery. An overstretched uterus often leads to a weak labor activity. Childbirth may be delayed, and this may cause the death of the second baby, for whom labor will take too long. True, in fraternal twins, children usually have separate membranes, therefore amniotic fluid the second child leaves after the birth of the first. However, in the case when both babies’ water breaks at once, the waterless period may drag on, and this will lead to asphyxia or suffocation of one of the children. That is why, when pregnant with triplets or quadruplets, doctors perform a cesarean section so that the third and fourth child do not end up without oxygen.

Therefore, if the labor process lasts too long, doctors decide in favor of surgical delivery by cesarean section. Believe me, this decision is usually justified.
Incorrect positioning of babies can also lead to a caesarean section. If both children are in the cephalic position or only one baby is in the pelvic position, we may be talking about a natural birth. However, if the children are in a breech presentation, or even more so in a transverse presentation, the choice will definitely be made in favor of a cesarean section.

When planning twins, you must be prepared for surgical delivery, and this, like any operation, can be unsafe for your health.

5) Changing your body. During a multiple pregnancy, the risk of developing stretch marks or stretch marks is much higher, which can then only be removed with the help of special surgery and resurfacing.
Due to a significant increase in weight, the size of the foot increases, and this process is irreversible. It also widens the pelvis to better support your growing belly.
Getting in shape after a multiple pregnancy is much more difficult than after a single pregnancy. Firstly, pregnant women with twins are often prescribed long-term bed rest, which leads to significant muscle atrophy. And secondly, if you are carried out C-section, physical activity will be contraindicated for you for a long time.

Women often have a large belly after giving birth to twins, so they are sometimes even mistaken for pregnant women.
Therefore, if you want to become a mother of twins, you must first study all the complications that accompany multiple pregnancies. Remember that before planning twins you should carefully monitor your health, namely:
visit the gym for several months, paying special attention to training the muscles of the legs and abdomen, as well as running or cycling, as they help strengthen the heart muscle. Remember, the risk that you will be prescribed bed rest is high, and bed rest is fraught with muscle atrophy. In addition, you should be prepared to carry 20-30 kilograms more. Physical activity is contraindicated in case of multiple pregnancy; the only type of activity that your doctor can allow you to do is swimming.

Eat right. You should forget about alcohol and smoking, and it is also advisable that your husband give up these bad habits. Make sure you eat a diet rich in vitamins, calcium and minerals. Try to consume folic acid and strengthen the immune system, because even a minor cold in the first months of pregnancy can lead to serious defects in the development of the baby.

Breathe fresh air. Oxygen saturates the blood and then allows your baby to grow much better. Walking and proper nutrition are also necessary during pregnancy!
Get used to living without medications! try to be treated with remedies traditional medicine. Try not to take any antibiotics at least six months before pregnancy, and to remove those that you took before, eat more zucchini and millet porridge - only they can cleanse your body of medications that are harmful to your health.
take your prenatal vitamins in advance, you can give them to your husband too. Until 19 weeks, it is better not to take any medications AT ALL (I’m not talking about emergency cases), not even vitamins. Try to get them from natural sources during these periods.
Conduct a full medical examination, treat your teeth before pregnancy. Any infection or disease can affect the baby's development! Even caries.
carefully examine your reproductive system. Follow all the recommendations that I gave in the last part regarding taking clomiphene.
try to avoid frequent contact with the computer, since sitting for a long time at a PC often leads to rickets in newborns.
If your job is associated with increased stress, it is better to quit. You need rest before a difficult ordeal in the form of a multiple pregnancy and caring for two (or even more!) babies at once.

Finally, I would like to say 2 things:

1) no one can guarantee that you will become pregnant with twins. There are also cases when a multiple pregnancy occurs, and then one of the embryos disappears (you can read in detail about the phenomenon of the missing twin here). But even if you have not achieved the desired result, remember: everything that is done is for the better. And you shouldn’t be upset, you must love your only child, believe me, this is by no means less happiness.

2) if you decide to plan for twins, all responsibility for this step lies with you. You have read this article, which means you have learned about possible risks associated with multiple births. Think carefully before taking such a risk.
Be prepared for the possibility of not only being pregnant with twins, but also being pregnant with triplets or quadruplets. And you must be prepared for this too!