Did You Know that Elvis Presley Had a Twin? Plus, other fun twin facts...

Kate Plus Eight, the Octo-mom, the Duggars; it seems every time we turn around there is some other tv show for a family of multiples. 

Our society is one of excess, apparently even in terms of reproduction. Once upon a time, twins and triplets were  a shocker but are hardly "impressive" anymore. 

As a twin myself, I have noticed how identifying myself as a twin no longer produces such shock and awe. Twins just aren't so unusual or interesting anymore according to the media, particularly the TLC channel ;) How boring would a "Double Trouble" show sound compared to the Duggars clan that is almost as large as most extended families!?! 

Admittedly, I have an obvious twin bias, but I feel like these fun facts truly are impressive so I thought you might enjoy them. Today I came across "Quick Facts and Figures about twins" with some of my favorites below: 

• Elvis Presley had a twin who did not survive after birth. His name was Jesse Garon.
• Identical twins share the same DNA, but will have their own fingerprints!
•  About 25% of identical twins are called mirror image twins. For example if one has a mole under her right eye, the other will have it under her left eye.
•  According to the National Center for Health Statistics the number of multiple births has increased about 74% since 1980. 
•  According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists:
• 1 in 250 pregnancies can result in identical twins.
• In some African countries such as Nigeria, the rate of twin pregnancies can be as high as 1 in 20.
• China has the lowest rate of Twinning in the world.
• According to the Guinness book of records there are 3 known cases in the US where parents gave birth to 2 sets of twins siblings on the same day. The mothers are Caroline Cargado, Laura Moore and Michele Gorney.
• THIS IS REALLY STRANGE: Heteropaternal Superfecundation is the term used when a woman becomes pregnant from two different man and gives birth to fraternal twins
• Quarternary Marriage is the term used when one set of twins marries a second set of twins.
• In case of identical twins marrying identical twins, genetically speaking their children will be more than cousins, they will be genetic siblings.
• Ideoglossia is the term used for the secret language of twins. This secret language actually does not exist. Once twins, as in any other baby, learn to talk, they mispronounce words but because their other half is capable of recognizing and understanding those words, it seems as if they have their own language.
• It is a myth that fraternal twins skip a generation. (Noted!) 
• Male twins will not have twins unless their wives have the ability to produce 2 eggs.
• Fraternal twins (girls) have twice the chance of giving birth to twins than singletons. (Dang... the odds are not looking good for me to ease gradually into motherhood in the future!) 

Perhaps TLC will have a show about twins in the fall afterall...