Beyoncé is expecting and this time it’s twins

Beyoncé is expecting and this time it’s twins

Singer and superstar Beyoncé announced this week she is expecting twins. This is the singer’s second pregnancy with her husband rapper, Jay-Z. “We would like to share our love and happiness. We have been blessed two times over,” she said in a social media post.

The superstar pair already have a five-year-old daughter, Blue Ivy.

And they’re not the only famous celebrities with twins; Julia Roberts, Jennifer Lopez and Sarah Jessica Parker are all mothers to twins.

According to a report by the National Center for Health Statistics, the birth rate of twins has increased 76 percent from 1980 to 2009. The increase is due in part to the growing use of fertility drugs and the rising age of mothers, as women in their 30s and 40s are more likely to have twins.

“As we see more and more families welcoming multiples in the world, we are learning more and more about twin pregnancies and the unique traits of these pairs.” says Dr. Monique Jones, an OB/GYN at Advocate South Suburban Hospital in Hazel Crest, Ill. “While some symptoms including morning sickness and spotting can be more intense, most mothers will experience a safe and healthy pregnancy.”

Is there anything else unique to a twin pregnancy? Some interesting ‘twin’ facts include:

  1. Taller women and those who consume dairy may be more likely to have twins.
  2. The ‘twin gene’ is real.
  3. The risk of developing gestational diabetes, high blood pressure and preeclampsia is higher for expectant mothers of twins.
  4. Labor may be longer with twins, but delivery is typically not; twins are usually born minutes apart.
  5. Premature births (those earlier than 37 weeks) and cesarean sections are more common with twins.
  6. Ultrasounds are the only way to confirm a twin pregnancy.
  7. Twins can have different dads and be different races.
  8. An estimated one in three sets of twins are identical.
  9. Obstetricians recommend more visits for mothers expecting twins.
  10. Fraternal twins are as likely to be the same gender as they are different genders.

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About the Author

Janine Sheedy
Janine Sheedy

Janine Sheedy is a public affairs and marketing manager at Advocate Health Care in Downers Grove. She holds a B.A. in communications from Loyola University New Orleans and an MBA from Loyola University Chicago. She has more than seven years of communications experience, most recently serving as a public relations and marketing manager for the Illinois Hospital Association. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, reading and Green Bay Packers football. On September 9, 2017, Janine will be running for the coveted Musky Queen title at Wills Northwoods Inn.