When you think of planned parenthood, you usually think of the perfect time to conceive either twins or singletons. However, successfully conceiving twins usually boils down to luck. Nowadays, there are known ways to increase the chances of having twins. Let’s find out the best time to conceive twins.
How to conceive twins? and When is the best time to conceive twins?
If you have a regular menstrual cycle of 28 days, your best chance to conceive twins is between days 10-17 of your menstrual cycle, which is the peak of ovulation. However, not all women ovulate these days so some ovulation might come earlier or later. Moreover, after sexual intercourse, sperm can live in the cervical mucus for up to 5 days as the sperm wait for the mature egg cell or cells to be fertilized.
In the case of maternal twins, conceiving multiple pregnancies depends on the cell multiplication of the egg after it is fertilized. However, a woman can also release multiple egg cells upon ovulation. When multiple egg cells are released and fertilized by a sperm, this pregnancy creates fraternal twins. Having intercourse two days before your expected ovulation is best for higher chances of conception and pregnancy.
How can you increase the chances of having a multiple pregnancy?
By keeping track of your ovulation, you may increase your chances of having twins or triplets. Also, having intercourse before and during the expected ovulation is recommended to increase the chances of fertilizing the egg cell or cells that the ovaries have released. Furthermore, you can increase your chances of conceiving twins by increasing your intake of folic acid and other nutrients which support twin pregnancy.
In the US, your chances of having twins are about 3% or 3 in every 100 births. The chance remains the same regardless of when you plan to conceive. However, it is notable that twin pregnancies and births had dramatically increased since the ‘80s when records were compared.
Twin births have steadily been increasing since then. Now might be a good time to conceive twins due to the medical advancement, which may help support your pregnancy and provide care for your twins whether they are born full-term.
What are the factors which predispose you to conceive twins?
Different factors increase your chances of having twins. However, you still have to keep track of your ovulation well to increase your chances of conceiving altogether. Here are some of the known factors which may increase your chances of having twins:
- Maternal age of 35 or older
- Twins in the family history
- Certain fertility treatments
- Height and weight
What are your chances of having twins after a miscarriage?
Your chances of conceiving twins 4-6 weeks after a miscarriage becomes higher when your body goes through a hyperovulation phase which may cause your ovaries to release more than one egg cell at a time during ovulation. When these egg cells are fertilized, they become fraternal twins. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to wait for a longer time to conceive once again after a miscarriage unless you are not yet emotionally ready or you have undergone other procedures which require you to postpone your pregnancy.
Folic acid to get pregnant with twins: What is folic acid twin pregnancy?
Folic acid twin pregnancy increases the chances of conceiving twins by elevating the intake of the essential nutrient Vitamin B9. The intake of Vitamin B9 is increased while attempting to conceive twins with the right timing of copulation based on a woman’s menstrual cycle. You might want to consult your doctor before trying to conceive twins by increasing your Vitamin B9 intake.
Increased folic acid intake may be in the form of Vitamin B9 dietary supplements or food enriched with folic acid. In addition, research suggests that increased folic acid intake may increase your chances of conceiving twins by up to 40% due to the folic acid fortification effect.
However, folic acid supplementation must only be done in moderation since the folic acid intake of more than 1000 micrograms has been linked to an increased risk for newborn autism. Nevertheless, folic acid may prevent congenital problems and miscarriage in the early stages of pregnancy. Also, it may increase your chances of conceiving twins naturally.
What to expect upon conceiving twins?
So you got the right timing for optimum twin pregnancy conception. Now, what should you expect? The first sign of twin pregnancy conception might be heavy implantation bleeding. This implantation bleeding occurs about 6-12 days after the sperm fertilizes the egg. It is entirely normal and should not need medical intervention unless the bleeding is a suspected miscarriage.
Conceiving twins is a shorter journey than conceiving singletons because twin pregnancies are generally shorter. Few twin pregnancies reach full-term. Also, you may expect to have high progesterone levels when you successfully conceive twins. However, if progesterone levels are low, it may cause problems staying pregnant.
It would help if you got the proper nutrients once you conceive twins. Besides, twins need more nutrients to grow, and you also need more nutrients to maintain healthy hormone levels to stay pregnant. Moreover, you may expect most pregnancy symptoms to kick in during the first trimester. You can expect these symptoms to be more intense if you carry two.
Conclusion
The best time to conceive twins remains at the peak of ovulation. However, the timing remains the same whether you are attempting for single or multiple pregnancies. The timing does not increase your chances of conceiving twins. But, proper nutrition, family history, and physiology may increase your chances of having twins.
