Twins With Two Fathers - Superfecundation and Superfetation
Multiples
Obie Editorial Team
Twins with two fathers are possible with heteroparental superfecundation and heteroparental superfetation. Superfecundation and superfetation are two rare but different events.
Superfecundation happens when there are twins from ovulation on the same day with two separate fathers. Two separate eggs were released and fertilization happens during the same menstrual cycle, usually within less than 24 hours of ovulation. The woman had sex with two different men within 5 days before or on the day of ovulation.
Superfetation happens if there is a second pregnancy from two separate ovulations; this is usually weeks apart. The second ovulation can occur weeks or even months after the first.
Superfecundation or heteroparental superfecundation is the word for twins with separate fathers. Each twin has a separate father. For this to happen, two things have to happen:
Both of these events can happen from having intercourse with separate men on the same day or different days, as sperm can survive for up to 5 days. Multiple ovulations happen in about 1% (or more) of all ovulations, and more often when you take ovulation-inducing medications.
A case of superfecundation was recently reviewed by the New Jersey State Superior Court. It was decided that one man is the father of one of the twins and the other the father of the other twin. Each father was responsible to pay child support for each child. Read more HERE...
Superfetation happens when a woman gets pregnant again after the implantation of one fetus. For this to happen the pregnant woman must ovulate after she is already pregnant and this egg must be fertilized by another sperm. This can occur weeks or even months after the first egg is fertilized, and the result is that one fetus is more advanced in pregnancy than the other. This is an extremely rare event in humans and has been reported only a few times. Superfetation can happen with the same father or different fathers (heteroparental).
Superfetation, when a second pregnancy occurs from another ovulation/fertilization weeks apart from the first pregnancy, can be diagnosed in several ways:
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The health risks for twins and triplets are greatly increased compared with those for singletons mostly because multiples tend to be born prematurely and underweight.
Ovulation twice or three times can lead to twins or triplets, as well as can a fertilized egg that splits into two or three.
The odds of twins depends on your age and whether they are identical twins or not and which ethnicity you have or whether you took fertility medications.