Identical vs. Fraternal

AMYRENEE27

This may be a stupid question but don't you know what type of twins you have by the time they are born? I heard they test the placenta?

Is there a way to definitely determine the type of twins when you are pregnant?

caitdana

I have 1 Placenta with 2 amniotic sacs and mine are identical.

bellasmom27

If they are boy/girl twins they are definitely fraternal

If both babies share same sac, placenta they are identical

Twins that have their own placenta,sac and everything else can possibily be fraternal OR identical depending how many days it took the egg to split after conception (if identical) that is, they must always be same sex to be identical.

bellasmom27

From your u/s picture, they look identical to me, sharing same sac.

shellyrn

bellasmom27:

If they are boy/girl twins they are definitely fraternal

If both babies share same sac, placenta they are identical

Twins that have their own placenta,sac and everything else can possibily be fraternal OR identical depending how many days it took the egg to split after conception (if identical) that is, they must always be same sex to be identical.

This. And then they can do a blood test or cheek swab to determine if they are identical.

ktspj

caitdana:

I have 1 Placenta with 2 amniotic sacs and mine are identical.

 

Same for me.  Yours look like they are identical. 

FaeryStarGazer

When I was PG, there was one placenta and two amniotic sacs but still, they couldn't confirm that the girls were identical. The one placenta could have fused together. We did a DNA test when they were 11m old.

AMYRENEE27

bellasmom27:

From your u/s picture, they look identical to me, sharing same sac.

They are in seperate sacs. It is obvious only in my 1st ultrasound pic. My doctor said that the membrane will not go away but it is very thin. Doctor suspects they are identical but cannot confirm yet.

jackieb3858

I have identicals and your ultrasound looks like mine. I had one placenta and 2 sacs, but I could never see the dividing line because it was so thin. They told me that almost always means identicals.

amanda31H

caitdana:

I have 1 Placenta with 2 amniotic sacs and mine are identical.

This.

At my 13/14 week u/s they thought there was 2 placentas (it was trans/vag).  At my 18 week, they said one.

When the girls were born, the hospital lab did analyze the placenta and said it was one.  My Dr thinks the first u/s didn't show enough.

Even so..... I think DH wants to test them before we try for another. Just to be extra sure!

AMYRENEE27

jackieb3858:

I have identicals and your ultrasound looks like mine. I had one placenta and 2 sacs, but I could never see the dividing line because it was so thin. They told me that almost always means identicals.

We think they are identical. They are spontaneous and I have no family history of twins.

amanda31H

AMYRENEE27:

bellasmom27:

From your u/s picture, they look identical to me, sharing same sac.

They are in seperate sacs. It is obvious only in my 1st ultrasound pic. My doctor said that the membrane will not go away but it is very thin. Doctor suspects they are identical but cannot confirm yet.

Yep- mine was really thin too.  The u/s techs had a hard time finding it at times.

jackieb3858

I know they say identicals aren't hereditary, but I am an identical twin too. Weird....

busybea

amanda31H:

AMYRENEE27:

bellasmom27:

From your u/s picture, they look identical to me, sharing same sac.

They are in seperate sacs. It is obvious only in my 1st ultrasound pic. My doctor said that the membrane will not go away but it is very thin. Doctor suspects they are identical but cannot confirm yet.

Yep- mine was really thin too.  The u/s techs had a hard time finding it at times.

Ditto here, one placenta, 2 separate sacs ...

Eris-Alexis

I am having di-di (fraternal) twins.  I know because not only are they in two sacs with two placentas, there were two corpus luteums (one on each ovary).

pea-kay

if you have an idiotic OB like mine, then he doesn't know that one placenta = identical, so we won't tell you, so then when you see an MFM at 16 weeks, it's no longer obvious that all of the babies are in the same gestational sac, so you go through your entire pregnancy not knowing that your babies are identical.

i think having early ultrasounds with a knowledgeable doctor is the key.

MoMandA

My identicals had two sacs, two placentas, and a solid membrane. We had a DNA test when they were 9 months old. Super easy cheek swab.