Can twins be born hours apart?

Yes, twins can absolutely be born hours apart, and even on different days, months, or years, though it's less common, often happening when one twin is born just before midnight and the other after the clock changes, or when doctors delay the second birth to give the other twin more time to develop, notes Washington State Twin Registry. While many twins are born minutes apart, longer intervals, sometimes deliberately managed medically, are possible, resulting in distinct birthdays and even birth years for the siblings.

What's the longest gap between twin births?

The longest recorded time between the birth of twins is 111 days in Taiwan (2024), breaking a previous world record of 87 days (2012) in Ireland, both instances involving fraternal twins where doctors managed to delay the second birth significantly after the first premature delivery, allowing the second baby to grow much larger before birth.
 

Can twins be born 15 minutes apart?

Excluding conditions associated primarily with prematurity, all second twins delivered beyond 15 minutes did well despite the delay and had no signs of excess trauma or low five-minute Apgar scores.

How far apart are the average twins born?

The average time between twin births is typically short, often within minutes to an hour, with many studies showing a median interval of around 19 to 21 minutes for vaginal deliveries, though this can range from seconds to hours, especially if the second twin is delivered by C-section or if there's a medical reason to delay. About 76% of twin second babies arrive within 15 minutes, but longer gaps (even days or months in rare cases) are possible, with medical guidance determining the ideal time frame.
 

What happens if one twin is born after midnight?

If one twin is born just before midnight and the other just after, they will have different birthdays, potentially even different birth years (like on New Year's Eve/Day), which is a fascinating but not super rare occurrence for twins, often due to natural delivery timing or medical intervention to delay the second birth for development, leading to unique individual celebrations.
 

Everything You Need To Know About Fraternal and Identical Twins | Dr. Sarah Finch

Can twins be born hours after each other?

Yes, twins can absolutely be born hours apart, and it's common for them to have different birthdays, even different birth years, especially if the first is born just before midnight and the second after. While many twin births happen minutes apart, doctors can sometimes delay the second delivery for several hours or even days to give the baby more time to develop, leading to significant time gaps, with records showing intervals of days or even months. 

What is the rarest hour to be born?

Less than 3% of babies were born each hour between midnight and 7 a.m. However, this number rose on Saturday and Sunday, when births were more likely to occur overnight.

Why can't twins go past 37 weeks?

This study found a mean gestation at birth for twins of 37 weeks, with the risk of stillbirth and early neonatal death increasing after 38 weeks gestation. The lowest risk of perinatal death in twin pregnancies at 38 weeks gestation corresponded to that observed in singleton pregnancies at 43 weeks gestation [7].

When is the most common time to go into labor with twins?

The more babies you carry, the greater the likelihood for an early birth. Women carrying twins usually deliver their babies around 36 weeks gestational age (instead of 39 or 40 weeks for a single pregnancy). Triplet birth is generally around 32 weeks.

How many babies can a woman have in her lifetime?

A woman can biologically have around 15 to 30 babies in her lifetime, but the record for recorded births is 69 to a Russian woman in the 18th century, attributed to multiple births like twins, triplets, and quadruplets over 27 pregnancies, while a more recent case involves 44 children by age 36 due to hyperovulation. Factors like genetics, health, nutrition, and medical advances greatly influence individual capacity, with most women having far fewer.
 

Is it possible for twins to be hours apart?

This mom's twins don't share a birthday—and the internet can't get enough of her story. When Stephanie Simpson went into labor with her twin girls at just 21 years old, she expected a whirlwind delivery and two babies born minutes apart. Instead, her daughters arrived four and a half hours apart—on different days.

What is a daisy baby?

A "Daisy Baby" is a term for babies affected by Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS), a serious condition in identical twins sharing a placenta, or related complications like TAPS, SIUGR, and TRAP. The name comes from the Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome Foundation (TTTSF), symbolizing twins thriving like daisies after surviving the "storm" of the condition, with their logo often showing two daisies from one stem, representing the shared life and journey. 

How many minutes are twins usually born apart?

Twins are usually born just minutes apart, often within 15-30 minutes, but the interval can range from seconds to hours, and even days or weeks in rare cases with medical intervention, with studies showing mean intervals around 10-21 minutes and most deliveries happening quickly. 

Can a twin be a week older than the other?

However, it may well be that in some twin pairs the gestational ages are slightly different and that therefore, the heavier twin would be expected to have a greater gestational age. Such cases would arise through superfecundation (the formation of two zygotes from different coitions).

What is the longest you can carry twins?

While 40 weeks is the full gestation period of the average pregnancy, most twin pregnancies are delivered at approximately 36 weeks (range 32-38 weeks depending on the type of twin pregnancy).

Do twin babies usually come early?

Yes, twins are very often born early, with over half arriving prematurely (before 37 weeks), usually around 36 weeks, much earlier than single babies (40 weeks). This increased risk of preterm birth is due to the greater demands on the mother's body and uterine environment, with the more babies carried, the higher the likelihood of an early delivery, sometimes requiring special care in a NICU, say experts at Brigham and Women's Hospital, KidsHealth, and Johns Hopkins Medicine.
 

How long do twins stay in NICU?

Twin NICU stays vary from hours to months, depending on prematurity (most twins arrive early), weight, and complications like breathing or feeding issues, with healthy, full-term twins potentially going home in days, while those born very early (like 24-28 weeks) might stay until their original due date or even longer, focusing on milestones like eating and breathing independently. 

What is the average birth weight of twins?

The average birth weight for twins is around 5 to 5.5 pounds (2.3 to 2.5 kg) each, significantly less than singletons (over 7 lbs) because they're usually born earlier, around 35-37 weeks. About half of all twins weigh over 5.5 pounds (2,500 grams) at birth, with weights varying greatly depending on gestational age, sharing a placenta (monochorionic), and other factors. 

When do most twin moms go into labor?

You should be prepared for the possibility that your babies may come early and spend some time in neonatal care. Doctors consider 37 weeks to be full-term for most twin pregnancies. The average length of pregnancy for twins is 36.4 weeks.

What causes stillbirth in twins?

Stillbirth in twins, especially monochorionic (sharing a placenta), is often caused by twin-specific issues like Twin-Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS), uneven placental sharing leading to growth restriction, or umbilical cord problems (entanglement, knots, compression). Other factors include infection, placental issues (abruption), congenital abnormalities, prematurity, and maternal conditions, with the type of placenta (monochorionic vs. dichorionic) significantly impacting risk. 

Can you deliver twins vaginally?

Yes, you can deliver twins vaginally, especially if the first twin is in a head-down (vertex) position and there are no other complications, but it depends heavily on fetal positions, type of twins, gestational age, and the provider's experience, with many twin births happening in an operating room as a precaution for a potential emergency C-section for the second twin. About 40% of twin pregnancies result in a vaginal birth, but this varies by hospital and situation. 

What is the 3 6 9 rule for babies?

The "3 6 9 rule for babies" is a simple guideline for common growth spurts and developmental stages, occurring around 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 9 months, marked by increased hunger, fussiness, and disrupted sleep as babies rapidly grow and learn new skills. It's a helpful way for parents to anticipate behavioral changes, recognize feeding needs (cluster feeding), and understand developmental leaps, though timing can vary by baby.
 

What is the unhealthiest birth month?

Mitral valve disorder shows a clear bimodal seasonal pattern-a major disease risk peak among persons born in March and a smaller disease risk peak among those born in August. Atrial fibrillation peaks among persons born in March, with a trough between September and November.

What is the top 1 rarest birthday?

Unsurprisingly, February 29 th is the least common birthday. Because Leap Day only rolls around every four years, there's only a 1/1,461 chance of being born on this day (versus 1/365 for any other given day).