• Question: what is the difference between fraternal and identical twins

    Asked by 778orange25 to Eve, Gregory, Jacob, Makobu, Nelson on 18 May 2018.
    • Photo: Makobu Kimani

      Makobu Kimani answered on 18 May 2018:


      Twin pregnancies can be the result of a two ovum getting released by the ovaries and then being fertilized at the same time. This would result in two separate pregnancies in one mother developing at the same time. The babies born of such a pregnancy will be siblings but not look exactly the same and can even be different genders. They are then called fraternal twins

      However, sometime for still unclear reasons, an already fertilized ovum will divided into two separate foetus. This will result in two pregnancies but the individuals will look the same and obviously be the same gender. They will then be called identical twins.

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