"Can Twins Have Two Fathers?" article - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

swedeace · 06-10-2006, 10:54 AM

“Can Twins Have Two Fathers?” and Other Answers to Readers’ Questions

http://health.msn.com/experts/articl...37074&GT1=8211

by Tiffany Owens for MSN Health & Fitness

The Internet can be a handy research tool to find answers to those most-pressing medical questions. But often, it can return confusing—even conflicting—information. With so many urban legends and medical myths floating around, it’s difficult to know what to believe.

But help has arrived: Here, a panel of medical professionals answers the top nine quirkiest health questions, as submitted by readers of our Ask the Experts section.

I am pregnant with twins and need to know if my babies can be one day older than the other? Can I have one baby by one dad and the other by another dad?

Not only is it possible for fraternal twins to have different fathers, it’s on the medical record books. This official medical term for this phenomenon is heteropaternal superfecundation.

The classic case was recorded in 1810 by John Archer, the first doctor to receive a medical degree in the U.S. According to Dr. Archer, a white woman who had sex with a black man and a white man within a short time of each other subsequently gave birth to twins—one white, one mulatto. Other cases have been reported since. And you thought this only happened with puppies?

Sperm cells can live inside a woman’s body for four to five days. Once ovulation occurs, the egg remains viable for another 12 to 48 hours before it begins to disintegrate; thus, the fertile period can span five to seven days.

Dr. Lawrence B. Werlin, founder and director of the Coastal Fertility Medical Center in Irvine, Calif., explains, “If the twins are fraternal, where two eggs (ova) are fertilized by two sperm and produce two genetically unique children, then one baby could be slightly older than the other. In addition, if a woman ovulates, releases two eggs and has intercourse with two different men, the eggs could be fertilized by both, resulting in fraternal twins with distinctive fathers.”

Historically, superfecundation has been difficult to prove, due to the crudeness of the blood-type testing methods. However, in 1978, Dr. Paul Terasaki of the UCLA School of Medicine reported in the New England Journal of Medicine that he and his colleagues had conclusively established a case of superfecundation using a sophisticated procedure called tissue HLA (or human leukocyte antigen) testing. Potential paternity-suit litigants, take note: This technique can also be applied to more conventional cases.
---------------

More answers to more questions can be found in the URL above.

On a humorous note, Bridget Hennessey may have had the correct mentality when she talked about her parents having "twins" in the second season premiere episode!

retrochick9 · 06-10-2006, 11:01 AM

How weird?

Janice · 06-10-2006, 11:42 AM

I've heard of this before. I imagine it must come to quite a shock if a married woman cheats on her husband with someone of another race. Tough explaining that one.

Mr. Television · 06-10-2006, 11:44 AM

I saw that on an episode of Guilding Light one time.

James"Thunder"Early · 06-10-2006, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by I Walk The Line

I saw that on an episode of Guilding Light one time.

I thought of a soap opera too when I saw this, I think they did it on One Life to Live too

Rachel3118 · 06-14-2006, 12:34 PM

Wow, I didn't know that was possible.

It seems like something that would be to medically confusing for soaps. lol

*MIBabe03* · 06-14-2006, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janice

I've heard of this before. I imagine it must come to quite a shock if a married woman cheats on her husband with someone of another race. Tough explaining that one.

I saw something similar to that on Maury like 2 days ago. It was a paternity test show. The woman said this man was the father of her twins, he of course denied both. Maury read off that he wasn't the father of the first twin, but he was of the second twin. The twins were fraternal.

JNSBSB · 06-14-2006, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by swedeace

[B]

The classic case was recorded in 1810 by John Archer, the first doctor to receive a medical degree in the U.S. According to Dr. Archer, a white woman who had sex with a black man and a white man within a short time of each other subsequently gave birth to twins—one white, one mulatto. Other cases have been reported since. And you thought this only happened with puppies?

what is a Mulatto?

Ireneparalegal · 06-14-2006, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JNSBSB

what is a Mulatto?

ok, my arm is killing me right now, but reading this thread I had to post this. check out the link i provided in this thread. THIS WILL BE SURPRISING TO THOSE WHO DIDN'T CATCH IT THE FIRST TIME AROUND:

BTW: TYPING WITH ONE HAND SUCKS!!!!!!

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/...d.php?t=169061

06-10-2006, 10:54 AM	#1
swedeace Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Sep 22, 2003 Posts: 9,009	"Can Twins Have Two Fathers?" article “Can Twins Have Two Fathers?” and Other Answers to Readers’ Questions http://health.msn.com/experts/articl...37074&GT1=8211 by Tiffany Owens for MSN Health & Fitness The Internet can be a handy research tool to find answers to those most-pressing medical questions. But often, it can return confusing—even conflicting—information. With so many urban legends and medical myths floating around, it’s difficult to know what to believe. But help has arrived: Here, a panel of medical professionals answers the top nine quirkiest health questions, as submitted by readers of our Ask the Experts section. I am pregnant with twins and need to know if my babies can be one day older than the other? Can I have one baby by one dad and the other by another dad? Not only is it possible for fraternal twins to have different fathers, it’s on the medical record books. This official medical term for this phenomenon is heteropaternal superfecundation. The classic case was recorded in 1810 by John Archer, the first doctor to receive a medical degree in the U.S. According to Dr. Archer, a white woman who had sex with a black man and a white man within a short time of each other subsequently gave birth to twins—one white, one mulatto. Other cases have been reported since. And you thought this only happened with puppies? Sperm cells can live inside a woman’s body for four to five days. Once ovulation occurs, the egg remains viable for another 12 to 48 hours before it begins to disintegrate; thus, the fertile period can span five to seven days. Dr. Lawrence B. Werlin, founder and director of the Coastal Fertility Medical Center in Irvine, Calif., explains, “If the twins are fraternal, where two eggs (ova) are fertilized by two sperm and produce two genetically unique children, then one baby could be slightly older than the other. In addition, if a woman ovulates, releases two eggs and has intercourse with two different men, the eggs could be fertilized by both, resulting in fraternal twins with distinctive fathers.” Historically, superfecundation has been difficult to prove, due to the crudeness of the blood-type testing methods. However, in 1978, Dr. Paul Terasaki of the UCLA School of Medicine reported in the New England Journal of Medicine that he and his colleagues had conclusively established a case of superfecundation using a sophisticated procedure called tissue HLA (or human leukocyte antigen) testing. Potential paternity-suit litigants, take note: This technique can also be applied to more conventional cases. --------------- More answers to more questions can be found in the URL above. On a humorous note, Bridget Hennessey may have had the correct mentality when she talked about her parents having "twins" in the second season premiere episode!

06-10-2006, 11:44 AM	#4
Mr. Television 23 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,132	I saw that on an episode of Guilding Light one time.
	__________________ Sonny

06-14-2006, 12:34 PM	#6
Rachel3118 Member Senior Member Join Date: Jun 13, 2005 Posts: 1,768	Wow, I didn't know that was possible. It seems like something that would be to medically confusing for soaps. lol
	__________________ Rachel

06-10-2006, 11:01 AM	#2
retrochick9 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Apr 07, 2006 Location: On the couch, in my jammies, watching TV! Posts: 620	How weird?

06-10-2006, 11:42 AM	#3
Janice Retired Admin - Hollywood Swingin' Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 03, 2001 Location: Beantown Posts: 36,388	I've heard of this before. I imagine it must come to quite a shock if a married woman cheats on her husband with someone of another race. Tough explaining that one.