Does anyone have advice about how/where to have our twins DNA tested? I am so tired of saying I don't know if they are identical or not and when I asked our pediatrician he blew it off like there is no reason that we need to know. I am just curious. Thanks.
I added this later:
They were in separate sacs and had separate placentas but the perinatal specialist told us that they might be identical even so (if the egg split very early). The hospital did a pathology of the placenta after they were born but it was "inconclusive." The boys looke different to me but people that don't know them think that they look alike and I get them confused sometimes and have to look closely.
Thanks to everyone for their suggestions. I ended up ordering a DNA test from a website called proactivegenetics.com that I saw/read about on the TWINS magazine website. It cost $170 and was very easy to complete. The results are supposed to have a greater than 99% accuracy and the test says that my boys are identical. I was very surprised to hear this - it was not what I expected!
Hey Tracy. Another way to tell without the test. And you may already know this. When you were pregnant, were the boys in the same sac, if they were then they are identical. If the boy were in separate sac (I don't know the medical term, sorry) then they are faternal. Ask your ob/gyn. He/She will know. Hope that helps.
you can get a kit off the internet. You swab the inside of their mouth and send the samples in by mail. http://www.proactivegenetics.com/
You may also be able to get it done at a local lab like
http://www.superpages.com/yellowpages/C-Paternity+Testing...
Hope you find a place to get the answer to your curiousity.:]
I've heard on the news that you can order a DNA test online. You swab the inside of the mouth/cheek and send it in. I think you have to pay for both the test kit & the testing. If you Google it, I'm sure a search will come up. I have also driven by a DNA Testing center in Lewisville. I'm sorry that I don't remember the name. Anyway, I believe it's on the Eastbound side of Main Street in Lewisville.
It's interesting that it wasn't noted when the kids were born. I'm sure an ultrasound or at least someone would have remarked that there was either one or two placentas at birth. Anyway, good luck.
K.
M.,
I have triplets and two of them are identical. When they were born the doctors thought all three of them might have been identical and said they could do bloodwork to tell - but we didn't do it (very expensive and not covered by insurance). They said that their blood types could tell us - but ironically enough, all 3 of them had the same blood types (as does my daughter) - which doesn't have to be the case. Now as they get bigger (just turned 1) we can tell they are 2 identical and 1 fraternal.
you could just call the hospital and ask them.
PS - the lady that said that they would share the same sac/placenta if they are identical is incorrect. Mine all three had separate placentas, sacs, etc. It just depends on how quickly they split - if the split is quick enough, they will be completely independent and the later it goes the more they share (and extremely late would result in saimese twins). Just FYI.
Good luck!
T.
If you get the Twins magazine, there are several advertisements in there for the kits another person already mentioned. You also could go to the NOMOTC (www.nomotc.org)(National Organization for Mother's of Twins Club) for links. These are both great resources for a mother of twins anyway. If they were in seperate sacs, they most likely are fraternal, but it is possible that they could be identical. Identicals can be in seperate sacs. I had the same issue as you. When I first found out I was pregnant with twins, they were in seperate sacs, but the dr. said the membrane between them was so thin, he felt they would be identical. When they were born, I was able to tell they weren't by eye color. Both have blue eyes, but one has light blue and the other dark blue. And now they are 5 years old and there are other differences as well.
If you are interested in a Mother's of Multiples club, AMAMOM is a wonderful club. It meets in McKinney and serves the Allen McKinney and surrounding area. We have lots of fun. Our website is www.amamom.org. We are having a huge garage sale next month.
Repeat of what has been written before with one exception: get a new pediatrician! Anyone who is going to "blow off" a question like that from a new mother is not worthy to be your childs care giver. Seriously.
