Twin Bulletin Board: half identical/half fraternal twins

Welcome to Twins Chat!

Twins Chat is our international bulletin board dedicated to the support, education, enrichment and well-being of twins, multiples and parents of multiples worldwide.

To add your message to any forum, you must first register. Click on the word "register" below. You will be asked to choose a user name and password for yourself. If you have already registered, click directly on 'Login' and enter your username/password. If you have forgotten this information, click on 'Login' and then on the 'Forgotten Your Password' link. Your information will be emailed to your email address.

You will not have to give any personal information. Use your real email address if you wish to receive responses via email. If you have any questions or suggestions, please send a message to Debbie & Lisa. Thanks!

my profile | register | search | faq | forum home

»	Twin Bulletin Board » 1 » Amazing Twin Facts » half identical/half fraternal twins

UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!

Author

Topic: half identical/half fraternal twins

stargzer_7
Junior Member
Member # 2277

Rate Member

posted 05-25-2003 07:43 PM

Hi, I am new to this forum and I was told that my brother and I are half identical/half fraternal twins. Apparently the doctor was all exstatic about this towards our mother when we were born. What I was wondering is if anyone else is also a half identical/half fraternal twins and/or if anyone has information about this? thanks for any and all replies.

Posts: 2 | From: pennsylvania | Registered: May 2003 | IP: Logged

Selma
Junior Member
Member # 2052

posted 05-27-2003 11:57 AM

I don't know if this is the same thing but I've heard of half identical twins. This is when there is one egg that splits prior to fertilization and then each 1/2 of the original egg is fertilized by individual sperms. This would mean you share 75% of your DNA rather then 100% like identical twins and 50% like fraternal. I think this is probably more common then we think. It would explain fraternal twins, same sex and boy/girl combos that look alot alike and would explain twins who think they are identical but really don't look that much alike but rather have the same hair color and eye color. Interesting stuff.

Posts: 3 | Registered: Nov 2002 | IP: Logged

anne&jane
Junior Member
Member # 2362

posted 07-31-2003 10:22 AM

Oh my gosh! I just registered here today. My twin and I go to twinstuff.com alot but we recently met Debra and Lisa and thought we would check this website out. We are the third type of twins, too! We have never talked to any other sets that were. The doctor didn't use that term, he just said "half-identical." Not many people have heard about it though. In the book Entwined Lives they explain it really well though. A lot of times we just say we are identical because it is easier. When it came to our professors, we just made copies of the explanation from that book and let it rest. I am so excited that I have met another set of twins that is the third type!

Posts: 1 | From: NJ | Registered: Jul 2003 | IP: Logged

Haleth
Junior Member
Member # 2428

Rate Member

posted 09-26-2003 11:08 PM

I'd never heard of this before, but it makes sense to me. *runs off to tell her sister about it*

--------------------

"...their hearts, wounded with sweet words, overflowed, and their joy was like swords, and they passed in thought to the regions where pain and delight flow together and tears are the very wine of blessedness."
-JRR Tolkien

Posts: 14 | Registered: Sep 2003 | IP: Logged

Sydney
Member
Member # 2332

posted 10-05-2003 08:56 PM

im identical(fully) but 2 girls who go to my school are half identical!

--------------------

From Syd and Shannan

Posts: 62 | From: USA | Registered: Jul 2003 | IP: Logged

FantasyDreamer5
Member
Member # 2473

Member Rated:

posted 11-04-2003 03:47 PM

I never heard of half identical?.. I just joined today too and I have two twin sister (identical) and one twin brother.

--------------------

~Avril~

Posts: 35 | From: New Jersey, U.S.A | Registered: Nov 2003 | IP: Logged

Charli&Lyn
Junior Member
Member # 2474

Rate Member

posted 11-04-2003 11:08 PM

WOH....
Thats what me and my sister are...1/2 identicle 1/2 faternal....no one has ever herd of it at our school, at least were not alone
My younger sister (3 minutes younger) is taller than me and has brown hair, and i'm the shorter of the two with red hair, but we both look exactly alike (besides what i just mentioned) ppl think they know everything and will tell us that were faternal, or that one of us dyed our heir and were really identicle...HELLO i think we know what were talking about...
if we had to our dad would be our "third twin" (lol) we both look like female versions of him (poor guy)
bye for now
Charli & Lyn

[ 11-04-2003: Message edited by: Charli&Lyn ]

Posts: 3 | From: USA | Registered: Nov 2003 | IP: Logged

Brianstwin
Member
Member # 2320

Rate Member

posted 11-12-2003 02:25 AM

hi how can you get half fraternal and indentical i never heard of this . Kevy B's Twin

--------------------

K B's Twin Twinless Twin Confernes (1997;1999-2005;2007-)ITA Conventions(2001-) Twinsday Fest(2006-)

Posts: 65 | From: New England | Registered: Jun 2003 | IP: Logged

Sydney
Member
Member # 2332

posted 11-12-2003 04:52 PM

hey everyone if you go to Twin facts and look on what pops up first, you will see everything about half-identical and half fraternal twins.

--------------------

From Syd and Shannan

Posts: 62 | From: USA | Registered: Jul 2003 | IP: Logged

Brianstwin
Member
Member # 2320

Rate Member

posted 11-15-2003 04:27 PM

ok thanks for telling me where to look this up . Kevy B's Twin

--------------------

K B's Twin Twinless Twin Confernes (1997;1999-2005;2007-)ITA Conventions(2001-) Twinsday Fest(2006-)

Posts: 65 | From: New England | Registered: Jun 2003 | IP: Logged

Madison
Member
Member # 2495

Member Rated:

posted 11-27-2003 12:40 PM

I had heard of it 'cos there are girls at my local Twins Club who are half identical! It's so cool.

--------------------

Love Madison x

Proud to be the Mirror Identical twin of Isabella

Twins have their hearts enTWINed

Posts: 61 | From: California | Registered: Nov 2003 | IP: Logged

Brianstwin
Member
Member # 2320

Rate Member

posted 11-30-2003 03:33 PM

i've never heard of this . Kevy B's Twin

--------------------

K B's Twin Twinless Twin Confernes (1997;1999-2005;2007-)ITA Conventions(2001-) Twinsday Fest(2006-)

Posts: 65 | From: New England | Registered: Jun 2003 | IP: Logged

FantasyDreamer5
Member
Member # 2473

Member Rated:

posted 12-02-2003 05:17 PM

Just a question. I never heard of half identical or half fraternal so I was curius... I'm a quad and there are three identical girls and there were two identical boys will that be titled "Half id., half fr.?

--------------------

~Avril~

Posts: 35 | From: New Jersey, U.S.A | Registered: Nov 2003 | IP: Logged

Brianstwin
Member
Member # 2320

Rate Member

posted 12-23-2003 11:05 PM

hi i dreally don't i think so but i'm not really sure Kevy B's Twin

--------------------

K B's Twin Twinless Twin Confernes (1997;1999-2005;2007-)ITA Conventions(2001-) Twinsday Fest(2006-)

Posts: 65 | From: New England | Registered: Jun 2003 | IP: Logged

Kendra
Member
Member # 391

Member Rated:

posted 12-26-2003 06:09 PM

"Half identical" or Polar Body twinning is a THEORY only. How in the world could it be tested for?

Could it be possible? Sure. Is it incredibly common and ever twin on every street corner who "are identical but don't look alike" half identical? No. Could it explain fraternals who look very much alike (like the Olsens)? No. Different aged siblings both same sex and opposite sex can look alike, the wonders of genetics.

Its a nice theory to think of but just a theory that won't be proven or dis-proven until the mystery of why the egg splits.

--------------------

http://millartwins.twinstuff.com

Posts: 51 | From: Welland, Ontario, Canada | Registered: Jan 2000 | IP: Logged

punk_n_b-ballchk147
Junior Member
Member # 2529

Rate Member

posted 12-29-2003 05:45 PM

i'm just an identical twin!

Posts: 1 | From: PA | Registered: Dec 2003 | IP: Logged

FantasyDreamer5
Member
Member # 2473

Member Rated:

posted 12-30-2003 07:59 PM

True, if you think about it.

--------------------

~Avril~

Posts: 35 | From: New Jersey, U.S.A | Registered: Nov 2003 | IP: Logged

CCtwins
Junior Member
Member # 2548

Rate Member

posted 01-12-2004 12:39 PM

hey,
it is me again (cornelia)...i think we r half indentical twins.Well, we are not exactly the same...of course we have some small differencies in our faces,...and beside it, Carolina is slimer

(((((

u can check out our pics and tell what u think...maybe we r indentical?
www.bellacaro.com

Posts: 10 | From: europe | Registered: Jan 2004 | IP: Logged

Matt
Member
Member # 2566

Member Rated:

posted 01-23-2004 12:29 AM

Whaaat? Thats POSSIBLE?? jeez, cool! Good for u

Posts: 38 | From: Rhode Island, USA | Registered: Jan 2004 | IP: Logged

oldaccount
Junior Member
Member # 2547

posted 01-23-2004 10:54 PM

There's no proof that polar body twinning can occur to produce viable twins.

As an egg is developing (before fertilization) it sometimes "splits" and basically casts off a small cell that doesn't function. This cell usually degenerates and dies.

Some scientists are SPECULATING that if the egg is older when it divides like this, that perhaps the oocyte it creates would be stronger and NOT die, and function as a second egg. If the oocyte (called a tertiary oocyte) AND the original egg (the secondary oocyte) were to both be fertilized by different sperm then the resulting twins would be a polar body conception.

This has been found to occur in rats and mice. The problem with human trials is that you can't test for identical maternal genes in the resulting twins, as mixing of the genes during recombination of the cell's development makes it impossible.

With today's DNA analysis it may be easier to determine if this really occurs. Dr. Charles Boklage (a geneticist) was studying this phenomenon with triplets, but I am not sure of his results (prelim or final). I know he used to post on a twin mailing list...maybe he can shed some light on this if he finds his way here.

[ 04-14-2012: Message edited by: oldaccount ]

Posts: 11 | Registered: Jan 2004 | IP: Logged

cookie
Junior Member
Member # 2636

Rate Member

posted 03-26-2004 09:11 AM

This is very interesting - question though ....I have twin boys who look very similar. How do I find out if they are 1/2 identical 1/2 fraternal????

Posts: 1 | From: north england | Registered: Mar 2004 | IP: Logged

Brianstwin
Member
Member # 2320

Rate Member

posted 03-27-2004 12:03 PM

hi you can ask your doc to a dna test on your twin boys . to see if they are hope this helps Kev B's Twin

--------------------

K B's Twin Twinless Twin Confernes (1997;1999-2005;2007-)ITA Conventions(2001-) Twinsday Fest(2006-)

Posts: 65 | From: New England | Registered: Jun 2003 | IP: Logged

Zenythmon
Junior Member
Member # 2656

Rate Member

posted 05-19-2004 08:59 AM

Stupid me. i didn't even see this thread. It is real. Very real. I posted a thread about the subject just a minute ago. Sorry I didn't see that the subject was already taken. I'm a polar twin myself.

Posts: 8 | Registered: Apr 2004 | IP: Logged

krystalkathy
Junior Member
Member # 2712

posted 05-22-2004 08:38 PM

this is so crazy. i came on here to ask if anyone had ever heard of this also. my sister and i are fraternal/identical. everytime i tell someone about it, they dont believe me. i have been told that we are a medical oddity. 1 in a million. thats pretty cool

Posts: 1 | From: Indiana | Registered: May 2004 | IP: Logged

stargzer_7
Junior Member
Member # 2277

Rate Member

posted 05-22-2004 10:21 PM

Yea that's why I posted this thread because I have to explain it throughly to everyone I tell that to that my brother and I are half identical/half fraternal twins. I'm very happy that a lot of different people are reading over this thread and posting a reply message. Thanks to everyone who has responded.

Posts: 2 | From: pennsylvania | Registered: May 2003 | IP: Logged

oldaccount
Junior Member
Member # 2547

posted 05-26-2004 06:45 PM

OK, let me see if I can be ANY more clear:

HALF IDENTICAL TWINNING HAS NOT BEEN PROVEN TO EXIST

There is NO way to test for it with DNA. If your doctor tells you that you are a half identical twin he is NOT CORRECT.

I have spoken with a geneticist about this very thing, and it has not been proven to occur in humans, and if it did occur there is no way it would be detected in a DNA test. He was doing tests on this phenomenon and has said it is near IMPOSSIBLE to test for.

So are we clear? No such thing as half identical twins according to medical science.

Posts: 11 | Registered: Jan 2004 | IP: Logged

canditwin16
Junior Member
Member # 2989

Rate Member

posted 11-12-2004 02:32 PM

me & my brother r we r faternals so that makes it weird.

--------------------

Candi

Posts: 8 | From: Baxley,Georgia | Registered: Nov 2004 | IP: Logged

sabs12
Junior Member
Member # 3116

posted 01-31-2005 09:50 PM

My brother and I are twins but we look nothing alike, besisdes that we're boy and girl, he has brown hair and brown eyes and i have blond hair and blue eyes it's really weird but we sorta have the same shape face and we're almost the same height(i'm like a cm taller

) lots of people don't belive we're twins, but its sorta good because people aren't always stopping us and asking stupid questions(plus i can pretend i've never seen him before if he's annoying me)

Posts: 11 | Registered: Jan 2005 | IP: Logged

All times are ET (US)

Hop To:

Ultimate Bulletin Board^TM 6.1.0.3