Do twins live longer or shorter?

Twins generally live longer than the general population, with identical twins often outliving fraternal twins, primarily due to the significant benefits of lifelong social support, close companionship, and shared experiences that encourage healthier behaviors, especially for males who might otherwise engage in riskier activities, according to a large Danish study.

Do twins have a shorter life span?

No, twins generally do not have a shorter lifespan; in fact, studies, particularly one from the University of Washington using Danish data, found twins often live longer than the general population, with identical twins having a survival edge over fraternal twins, likely due to strong social support and shared experiences buffering stress and risky behaviors. 

Do twins have more health issues?

Yes, twins generally face a higher risk for various health issues compared to single babies, primarily due to increased risks of premature birth, low birth weight, and complications like gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and certain birth defects, affecting both the mother and babies throughout pregnancy, birth, and even childhood. While many twins are healthy, multiple pregnancies are considered high-risk, requiring more intensive prenatal care to manage these elevated risks.
 

Why do moms of twins live longer?

(Not to mention the headache of raising two babies at once.) But, says Smith, if women are able to survive giving birth to twins, that may indicate that she is endowed with some combination of genetic, physical and physiological characteristics that may contribute to a longer life.

Do twins age faster?

Stochastic events such as retrotranspositions by long interspersed nuclear element-1 (12), point mutations of microRNAs (13), and segmental duplications and haploinsufficiencies (14, 15) could also contribute to our observations that some identical twins seem to age more rapidly than their siblings.

Why Do Twins Live Longer?

Who is the oldest twin alive?

Congratulations to Umeno Sumiyama and Koume Kodama. They have been certified as the world's oldest living identical twins by Guinness World Records. Born in Japan on November 5, 1913, they are the third- and fourth-born of 11 siblings - breaking records at 107 years young. Omedetou gozaimasu.

What does the Bible say about twins?

The Bible mentions twins primarily through notable figures like Jacob and Esau, illustrating themes of divine purpose, rivalry, and God's choice (Genesis 25), and Perez and Zerah, highlighting birth order and God's intervention (Genesis 38). While not directly about twins, verses like Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 emphasize the strength and benefit of companionship, paralleling the bond twins share. 

How long do twins usually last?

A little more than half of twin pregnancies end in preterm delivery (before 37 weeks). 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 identical twins have lower IQ?

Using the family-based adult sample, no differences in IQ scores were found between twins and their singleton siblings.

What parent passes down the twin gene?

For fraternal (dizygotic) twins, the genetic tendency for hyperovulation (releasing more than one egg) is often passed through the mother's side, meaning the pregnant parent's genes are key, but the father can carry and pass this trait to his daughters, increasing their future chances. For identical (monozygotic) twins, genetics play a minor role, as they usually occur randomly when one fertilized egg splits, though some rare genetic factors might influence the split.
 

Do twins have a higher risk of autism?

Yes, twins, especially identical twins, are significantly more likely to both have autism if one is diagnosed, highlighting genetics' strong role, but the fact that they don't both have it 100% of the time shows important environmental factors (prenatal, early life) also contribute, leading to varied severity even in identical pairs. Identical twins have a very high "concordance rate" (60-90%) for autism, much higher than fraternal twins (around 3-31%), indicating genetics are key, while differences point to unique experiences or "random" events influencing each twin. 

What do twins struggle with?

Competition, jealousy, sharing, and expectations make twinship a hard relationship to navigate. Twins are sometimes confused as to who they are in relationship to each other. It's important not to make twins feel guilty or ashamed if they don't get along.

What happens to a twin when one dies?

When one twin dies, it can lead to Vanishing Twin Syndrome (if early in pregnancy, with tissues absorbed, often harmlessly) or, if later, potential risks for the survivor (premature birth, brain issues), depending heavily on when the loss occurs and the type of twin pregnancy; the surviving twin experiences profound, unique grief, feeling the loss of their "other half," impacting identity, relationships, and future milestones. 

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].

Is dementia hereditary in twins?

When identical twins are more concordant for a disease than fraternal twins, genetic influences are suggested. So Gatz and her colleagues looked to see whether identical-twin pairs were more similar in risk for developing Alzheimer's than fraternal twin pairs were. The answer was yes.

What size are twins usually?

The average weight for twins at birth is around 5.5 pounds (2.5 kg) each, but this varies greatly as they are often born earlier than single babies (around 35-37 weeks). A singleton's average is over 7 pounds, but twins arrive sooner, explaining the size difference; weights can range from under 5 pounds to 7 pounds or more, with many falling into the low birth weight category (< 5.5 lbs) but generally doing well with modern care.
 

Why are twins so special?

Multiples are born with a deep bond that can be a lifelong source of strength and mutual affection. This bond makes twins, triplets and more unique, and it is an important part of each child's identity.

Which birth order has the highest IQ?

However the researchers looked at it, first-borns had, on average, an IQ of 1.5 points higher than second-born siblings, who in turn had a 1.5 higher IQ than third-borns and so on.

Are twins slow learners?

Previous studies have shown that there is a higher prevalence of delay in attainment of cognitive neurodevelopmental milestones among twins compared to singletons.

Do twins have a longer life expectancy?

Yes, studies show twins, especially identical ones, tend to live longer than the general population, likely due to strong social support, companionship, and mutual encouragement of healthy habits, acting similarly to the "marriage protection effect," with male identical twins often showing the biggest longevity boost. This social connection provides emotional support, reduces risky behaviors, and offers caregiving, extending lifespans beyond non-twin counterparts. 

What month are most twins born?

Most twins are born in the summer months, particularly July, according to U.S. statistics, with some sources also pointing to higher rates in December, potentially due to seasonal ovulation patterns, but July consistently shows a high frequency of twin births. While twins can arrive any month, higher rates tend to cluster in summer due to various factors influencing ovulation. 

What are the benefits of having twins?

Of course, there are all of the obvious benefits with the main one being you only have to go through 1 pregnancy (and 1 birth and 1 postpartum recovery) in order to have 2 kids. Automatic efficiency win!! Right? Plus, your kids always have a built-in best friend and likely experience the well-known “twin bond.”

Which name is best for twins?

The "best" twin names depend on style (classic, modern, rhyming, meaningful), but popular choices often pair classic-sounding names like Olivia & Emma, Liam & Noah, Ava & Mia, William & James, or themed pairs like Faith & Hope, Hazel & Harper, or Atlas & Orion. Consider names that sound good together, complement each other (like meanings: Eve & Zoe, Diya & Tara), or have subtle connections like anagrams (Aidan & Nadia) or shared letters (Leo & Noah).
 

What is the superstition about twins?

Twins in mythology are in many cultures around the world. In some cultures they are seen as ominous, and in others they are seen as auspicious. Twins in mythology are often cast as two halves of the same whole, sharing a bond deeper than that of ordinary siblings, or seen as fierce rivals.

Did Adam and Eve have 20 sets of twins?

The first two sons, Qābīl and Hābīl, each had a twin sister, and each son married his brother's sister. Qābīl subsequently killed Hābīl. Later, Shīth was born without a sister and became Adam's favourite and his spiritual heir (wasī). Eve eventually bore 20 sets of twins, and Adam had 40,000 offspring before he died.