hmmm... wouldn't it have always seemed a little peculiar to them that they were born on the same day, or did they just think it was a cute similarity?

http://news.aol.com/story/_a/husband-wife-discover-theyre-twins/20080111151509990001?ncid=NWS00010000000001

Husband, Wife Discover They're Twins
By THOMAS WAGNER,AP
Posted: 2008-01-11 17:24:15
Filed Under: Weird News
LONDON (Jan. 11) - Twins who were separated at birth got married without realizing they were brother and sister, a lawmaker said, urging more information be provided on birth certificates for adopted children.

A court annulled the British couple's union after they discovered their true relationship, Lord David Alton said.

"Everyone has a right to knowledge about their lineage, genealogy and identity. And if they don't, then it will lead to cases of incest," Alton told The Associated Press during a telephone interview Friday.

Alton first revealed details of the unusual case last month during a five-hour debate about a bill that would change regulations about human embryology.

"I was recently involved in a conversation with a High Court judge who was telling me of a case he had dealt with," Alton said according to a transcript of the Dec. 10 debate. "It involved the normal birth of twins who were separated at birth and adopted by separate parents.

"They were never told that they were twins. They met later in life and felt an inevitable attraction, and the judge had to deal with the consequences of the marriage that they entered into and all the issues of their separation."

Alton gave no additional details and would not reveal the name of the judge who told him about the case.

The High Court's Family Division declined to discuss or confirm Alton's account about the twins.

Alton, an independent legislator who works at Liverpool's John Moores University, said the siblings' inadvertent marriage raises the wider issue of the importance of strengthening the rights of children to know the identities of their biological parents, including kids who were born through in vitro fertilization.

Under British law, only a mother has to be named on a birth certificate. Such certificates also are not required to identify births that result from IVF or to identify the sperm donor.

In addition, British law does not require parents to ever tell children that they were the result of donated sperm.

Alton believes this should be changed.

Alton said he favors an amendment to the Human Fertility and Embryology bill - which is still being debated in the House of Lords - that would require birth certificates of children born from donated sperm to say that and to identify the genetic father.

Referring to the twins' case, he said: "If you start trying to conceal someone's identity, sooner or later the truth will come out. And if you don't know you are biologically related to someone, you may become attracted to them and tragedies like this may occur."


Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
2008-01-11 15:16:23

Good lord!

That's wild. :eek: I wonder how long they were married before they found out. I can't imagine what I would do if I found out my husband was my brother. At this point, I wouldn't do a thing. He's my husband and my soul mate.

I have been asked the question many times, "What would you do if you found out your boyfriend or husband were really your brother or half-brother?" Being adopted I guess brings out some weird questions from people. :lol:

First of all, if someone shared my birthday (red flag), I would not laugh it off as coincidence, I would check into it. Although I was not born a twin, the possibility still arises as I know that my biological parents had another child a year after I was born. I am under the impression they had a girl, but I don't know for certain.

In ancient Egypt, the King always made a wife of his sister, so, this is nothing new :rolleyes:

In ancient Egypt, the King always made a wife of his sister, so, this is nothing new :rolleyes:
Until kids started coming out with three arms. :lol:

:eek2: I am SPEECHLESS!!! Don't engaged couples get blood tests anymore??

well, the two of them had to be fraternal because if they were identical, they'd have to be quite stupid if they couldn't put two and two together they they were born the same day and look alike

How freaky! :eek:

that SUCKS.

I guess if you didn't grow up with them, its not as gross lol. If i ever found that out, i'd just stay married. I just would probably not reproduce....lol.

I guess if you didn't grow up with them, its not as gross lol. If i ever found that out, i'd just stay married. I just would probably not reproduce....lol.
I'm wondering if they have kids and its why they're keeping the identities anonymous, so the kids won't have to put up with ridicule at school

Back in the early 80s, one of my friends was neighbors with a family where the father got his teenage daughter pregnant. He went to prison, and the girl kept her baby. I lost touch with this story probably eight years into it, but I know the little girl was normal, at that point. I don't think it's an automatic birth defect thing. It's certainly a higher-risk situation. I'm sure the info can be found online, but I'm too lazy to look it up.

:eek: That is just about the wierdest thing I've heard in a long time you really can't help but feel bad for them but at the same time it's not really hard to tell that someone is your TWIN but still this is sooo disturbing eww

I finally knew what it felt like to be a Kentuckian some years back when I worked as a cashier and a mother was with teenage son and daughter, and they started making out in the line and I remember the mom saying "you're brother and sister, stop making out, you're embarassing me!!!"

It was funny but also incredibly alarming, and I'm in Louisville, not exactly considered the "hick" part of the state. It's well-stereotyped that there's a lot of inbreeding in the mountain areas in the southern part of the state.

:eek: That is just about the wierdest thing I've heard in a long time you really can't help but feel bad for them but at the same time it's not really hard to tell that someone is your TWIN but still this is sooo disturbing eww
HUGE EWWWWW factor going on here.

I finally knew what it felt like to be a Kentuckian some years back when I worked as a cashier and a mother was with teenage son and daughter, and they started making out in the line and I remember the mom saying "you're brother and sister, stop making out, you're embarassing me!!!"

It was funny but also incredibly alarming, and I'm in Louisville, not exactly considered the "hick" part of the state. It's well-stereotyped that there's a lot of inbreeding in the mountain areas in the southern part of the state.
You belong in the big city, John.

:eek2: I am SPEECHLESS!!! Don't engaged couples get blood tests anymore??

I think that law was only in the U.S.. I know you don't require blood tests at all in Canada and it's probably the same in Britain. Besides, as far as I know, blood tests were only taken for STDs, etc., not for DNA analysis (since that technology is so recent it wouldn't have been used for that).


That would sure freak me out. Good thing they didn't have children. Although I recently heard that that thing about close genetics isn't as bad as we've been led to believe. Many tribes in Africa, etc. will marry 1st cousins etc. and there isn't an increase in birth defects.

I know dog breeders think nothing of breeding children to their parents or siblings.

:eek: That is just about the wierdest thing I've heard in a long time you really can't help but feel bad for them but at the same time it's not really hard to tell that someone is your TWIN but still this is sooo disturbing eww


Only if you're identical twins - these were obviously fraternal (being different sexes, they HAVE to be). That means separate eggs so they're entirely different other than being in the same womb at the same time.

I had two girlfriends as a kid who were fraternal and you'd not only would never know they were twins, but even sisters. One was a heavy set brunette and the other a very skinny blonde. And had totally different personalities also.

Don't you know that had to be a shocker for the husband & wife!

I think that law was only in the U.S.. I know you don't require blood tests at all in Canada and it's probably the same in Britain. Besides, as far as I know, blood tests were only taken for STDs, etc., not for DNA analysis (since that technology is so recent it wouldn't have been used for that).
.

I'd just like to never know i was married to my long lost brother :lol:

How mortifying for them. Really, where do they go from here? And think of all the work they'll have coming to terms with it first.

The really sad part is that I could totally see this happening if twins weren't brought up knowing they had a twin and they happened to meet each other. Even though fraternal twins often don't look anything alike, they do share many of the same thoughts, characteristics, and similarities as identical twins do...imagine meeting someone who you thought knew you so well, who you connected so well with...even on a spiritual and internal level...you have no idea you're a twin, and you weren't brought up knowing this person was that way because they were your sibling...would you not mistake that for true love? For someone who certainly must be your soul mate?

I really wish them the best of luck in figuring out what to do next...and if they do decide that what they have is more important than the background of it and decide to stay together, then I wish them best of luck in coming to terms with it all. Any way you slice it, they really have a lot to deal with.

I guess it just depends on thier morals and beliefs, whether they stay together or not. I think breaking up would be harder on them, though. It would be very hard to find another love and happiness like what they probably have now. I dont think these types of marriages should be illegal, they didnt know they were related. Anyways, people should be able to marry who they want, even if it is a sibling (which is gross to us, but to each his own)

Whoa, Baby!

wait do you mean that there are brother and sister

wait do you mean that there are brother and sister


Yep - and fraternal twins at that!

that is strange

Back in the early 80s, one of my friends was neighbors with a family where the father got his teenage daughter pregnant. He went to prison, and the girl kept her baby. I lost touch with this story probably eight years into it, but I know the little girl was normal, at that point. I don't think it's an automatic birth defect thing. It's certainly a higher-risk situation. I'm sure the info can be found online, but I'm too lazy to look it up.
I remember there was a 20/20 segment on a couple who were brother and sister. They met with a geneticist and were told that they may not have children with obvious physical abnormalities, but their mental development may be at risk. It is a risk for each child they produce. There are some other risks but I can't recall.

This reminds me of that movie by Sally Field, NOT WITHOUT MY DAUGHTER. I read the book and the woman who Sally Field play, wrote that book. Betty is her name and in the book she talks abt her Iranian's husband's family and how they are all first cousin's, related somehow, but the children are mostly the result of inbreeding. She goes on to say in the book how the children don't have any obvious physical deformities but the faces of these children and how they seem mentally, are an obvious clue they are not "normal".

This reminds me of that movie by Sally Field, NOT WITHOUT MY DAUGHTER. I read the book and the woman who Sally Field play, wrote that book. Betty is her name and in the book she talks abt her Iranian's husband's family and how they are all first cousin's, related somehow, but the children are mostly the result of inbreeding. She goes on to say in the book how the children don't have any obvious physical deformities but the faces of these children and how they seem mentally, are an obvious clue they are not "normal".
Her name is Betty Mahmoody. I have heard her speak. A few years ago she was the main speaker at the annual Lutheran's woman retreat I go with my mom. She was really good.

Her name is Betty Mahmoody. I have heard her speak. A few years ago she was the main speaker at the annual Lutheran's woman retreat I go with my mom. She was really good.
You know, I have tried in vain to find out more abt her post-life after fleeing Iran, but I can't find anything other than her life doing speaking engagements. I would love to know more abt her life after that horrific period in her life. I would love to know more abt her daughter too. I guess she keeps a low profile because of the fear of Mahmoody coming back to America and doing God knows what.

You know, I have tried in vain to find out more abt her post-life after fleeing Iran, but I can't find anything other than her life doing speaking engagements. I would love to know more abt her life after that horrific period in her life. I would love to know more abt her daughter too. I guess she keeps a low profile because of the fear of Mahmoody coming back to America and doing God knows what.
I asked my mom what she remembered about Betty's daughter. I know that she went to high school at Michgan Lutheran Seminary, and wanted to be a Lutheran teacher. My mom said that she never became a teacher because of lupus and thinks she became a doctor instead.

I asked my mom what she remembered about Betty's daughter. I know that she went to high school at Michgan Lutheran Seminary, and wanted to be a Lutheran teacher. My mom said that she never became a teacher because of lupus and thinks she became a doctor instead.
Thank you for that information. Wow, Lupus? How sad. But how wonderful she became a doctor, that is fascinating.

Good grief! :eek:

That's insane.. sounds like something out of Flowers in the Attic!!! :eek: