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IT'S NATIONAL MULTIPLE BIRTHS AWARENESS DAY WHICH IS PROBABLY EASIER AS TWIN DAY SO HERE'S SOME FACTS ABOUT THEM INCLUDING WHY TALLER WOMEN ARE MORE PRONE TO SEEING DOUBLE 12:25,
28 May 2025 You’re not seeing double – it’s just National Multiple Births Awareness Day on May 28. This annual event marks the 1934 birthday of Canada’s identical Dionne Quintuplets, the
first set to survive to adulthood. Here in Britain, pregnant women have a one in 60 chance of giving birth to twins, triplets or more. Now MEG JORSH gives you the facts on those magical
multiples… ON THE NOSE: Having trouble telling identical twins apart? Just ask your dog. In a 2011 study, boffins from the Czech Republic found trained German shepherds could sniff out the
difference between duos, even if they lived in the same household and ate the same food. NAVEL GAZING: If you haven’t got a dog, there are still a few tricks you can use to distinguish
between doubles. You can ask for a look at their belly buttons – they often heal differently after birth. And if all else fails, remember their fingerprints will still be unique. HALF AND
HALF: Twins can be identical… or semi-identical. In both cases, two sperm need to fertilise a single egg, which then splits to grow two babies. They usually share 100 per cent of their DNA –
but a small percentage get the same genes from their mother and different ones from their father. THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS: Around one in four pairs of identical twins are mirror images of
each other, according to a 2012 study. So if one has a birthmark on their left side, the other will have it on their right. FOUNDING FATHERS: Fraternal twins can (very rarely) be
half-siblings. The non-identical duos are normally born when two eggs are fertilised and grow side by side in the womb. If the mum-to-be beds another bloke at just the right time, they could
end up with two different dads. HAPPY TALK: Around 40% of twins make up their own language as kids. They usually stop at a few words and gestures – but some go as far as coming up with
systems of writing. The phenomenon, called cryptophasia, can delay the development of standard speech. HIGH BORN: Taller women are more likely to give birth to twins, according to a 2006
study. Researchers found mums with twins or triplets were 5ft 5in on average, compared to 5ft 3.75in for single births. They suggested a protein called insulin-like growth factor (IGF),
often found in tall people, might help embryos survive. Article continues below DOUBLE CHECK: Running around after twins must be exhausting. But in fact, it seems to have a positive effect
on women’s health. According to a 2011 study in Utah, mothers with twins often live longer than their single-birth counterparts. PERFECT MATCH: Twins who are separated at birth will often
grow up spookily alike. A landmark 1990 study, published in journal Science, found 100 sets of twins raised apart still shared many interests and personality traits. The identical pairs were
“about as similar” as they would have been if they stayed together. TWIN IT TO WIN IT: Every summer since 1976, thousands of double acts have descended on Twinsburg in Ohio, US, for the
annual Twins Days Festival. The twins-only event features a talent show, a volleyball tournament and a ‘Double Take Parade’.