Nicole Ritchie wants to squeeze out 4 more kids to ignore from her brittle sniz

[WhateverLolaWants]

a brittle sniz? I mean, I can imagine, but it was a bit of a jump

[Honey]

^ I only got it because of the context, you learn something new each day here

[Tati]

Are you serious ? I really tought it skiped a generation ! Well at least that's what I was always told. I'm shocked. Thanks for the info !

Well, if a woman gives birth to fraternal twins, it means she released two eggs that month and each one was fertilized (not a neat trick on the man's part since he shoots out millions of sperm). So the father's family history or twin status actually has no impact whatsoever on his partner's likelihood of releasing more than one egg.

I don't know if sperm would influence one egg splitting into two embryos for identical twins though (maybe some sort of acid/alkaline reaction?).

eta:

But do twins really run in families? Actually that's probably one of the most widely perpetuated myths about multiples. While some families do seem to have a preponderance of multiple births, it's often more than a coincidence than a connection.

Is There a "Twin Gene"?

Of the factors that influence multiple birth, there is only one that could be identified as genetic or explained by family history: hyper ovulation. Hyper ovulation is the tendency to release multiple eggs during ovulation, increasing the chances of conceiving dizygotic (or fraternal) twins. So, in families where the women have a gene for hyper ovulation, genetics would sufficiently explain an increased presence of fraternal twins.

However, only women ovulate. So the connection is only valid on the mother's side of the family. While men can carry the gene and pass it on to their daughters, a family history of twins doesn't make them any more likely to have twins themselves.

Do Twins Skip a Generation?

If your father was a twin, but you weren't, are you more likely to have twins? It's a common misconception that twins skip a generation in families. There is absolutely no evidence, other than circumstantial, that twins are more likely to occur every other generation. However, if you consider the influence of genetic hyper ovulation, this pattern could appear in families depending on whether their children were sons or daughters.

* Generation 1: Grandma
Grandma has the gene for hyperovulation. She & Grandpa have fraternal boy twins, Rob and Bob

* Generation 2: Rob & Bob
While Grandma's sons may carry the gene for hyperovulation, they do not ovulate. They will not have twins (excluding other factors). However, they each have a daughter.

* Generation 3: Molly & Polly
Molly and Polly, cousins, inherit the gene for hyperovulation from their fathers. They each have a set of twins.

You can see how this example makes it appear that twins skip a generation in families. The pattern is influenced by whether the inheritor of the hyper ovulation gene is male or female.

What About Identical Twins?

Although theories and research abounds, there is no established connection between genetics and monozygotic (identical) twinning. Scientists haven't really identified and confirmed a clear cause for monozygotic twinning, which occurs when a fertilized egg splits and develops into two (or more) embryos. About ten years ago, I read about a theory that suggested that there was an enzyme in sperm that could cause an egg to split after fertilization, however I have not encountered any conclusions from that research. At this time, monozygotic twinning appears to be a random event, and all parents have a reasonably equal chance of conceiving identical twins.

Twin Gene - Twins Run in Families - Will I Have Twins - Is Twinning Genetic?

I hope this doesn't sound condescending in the least, I was actually just wondering about this stuff myself the other day. I would LOVE to have a set of twins myself. Two-fer.

[Belinda]

I can't stand her. I wish her and Joel would break up already.

But not until Benji and Paris get married, that'll cool Paris's passion for him.

[Algernon]

Twin boys and three girls? What is she like 5 years old? God, nature decides some things, just be happy if you have healthy children.

That was my first thought too. I remember dreaming up my little dream family when I was a child. I mean, I could understand her saying, "yes, I'd love to have more children, if it's meant to be" or something a little more mature. And I'd just love seeing her try to handle 5 kids. LMAO! She's not much more than a child herself...and is still waaaaay in the babymoon. When Harlow is a real person, with real fits and demands and all the little ways that children try to make their parents crazy, maybe Nicole will come to her senses. Oh wait. She has nannies. Nevermind!