Twin Facts
  
Worldwide

Number of living multiples
125 million
                               
In the U.S. [1997 Data*]

Number of multiples born during the year
110,874

Number of twins born
104,137
                              
Number of triplets born
6,148
                              
Number of quadruplets born
510

Number of quintuplets and higher order multiples born
79

(These numbers refer to individual babies, not sets.)
                               
Percentage of all births that are twins
2.6%

Rate for triplets, quads, quints, etc.
1 per 655

*Source: CDC, Monthly Vital Statistics Report (April 1999)

  

Famous Parents
of Twins
Famous Twins
Madelene Albright
(U.S.Secretary of State)

Muhammad Ali (boxer)

Ed Asner (actor)

Adrian Barbeau (actress)

Ingrid Bergman and Roberto Rossellini (actress and director)

Corbin Bernsen and   Amanda Pays (actors)

David Birney and Meredith Baxter (actors)

George W. Bush (Governor of Texas)

Beverly Cleary (children’s author)

Bing Crosby (singer/actor)

Kerry Kennedy Cuomo (lawyer, daughter JFK)

Robert DeNiro (actor)

John Engler--triplets
(Governor of Michigan)

Mia Farrow and Andre Previn
(actress and musician)

Michael J. Fox and Tracy
Pollan (actors)

Mel Gibson (actor)

Bruce Hornsby (musician)

Ron Howard (director/actor)

King Hussein (former King of Jordan)

Christine Lahti (actress)

Ivan Lendl (tennis pro)

Loretta Lynn (musician)

Jane Pauley and Garry
Trudeau (journalist and
cartoonist)

Henry Mancini (composer)

Ricky Nelson (musician)

Pele (soccer superstar)

Holly Robinson Peete
(actress)

Ruth Pointer (singer, The Pointer Sisters)

Patricia Richardson (actress)

Nelson Rockefeller (former U.S. Vice President)

Jane Seymour (actress)

Cybill Sheperd (actress)

William Shakespeare (playwright/poet)

James Stewart (actor)

Donald Sutherland (actor)

Nikki Taylor (model)

Margaret Thatcher (former Prime Minister of England)

Richard Thomas--triplets (actor)

Denzel Washington (actor)

Mary Alice Williams
(jounalist)

        		 Athletes

Mario and Aldo Andretti
(auto racer)

Ronde and Tiki Barber
(football)

Jose and Ozzie Canseco
(baseball)

John Elway (football)

Horace and Harvey Grant (basketball)

Tim and Tom Guliksen
(tennis pros)

Phil and Steve Mahre
('76/'80 ski teams)

Mark and Michael Mimbs
(baseball)

Jim Thorpe
(Olympic athlete)

Musicians

Johann Christoph and
Johann Ambrosius Bach
(18th century classical)

Maurice and Robin Gibb
(The Bee Gees)

Jim and Jon Hager
("Hee Haw")

Jennifer and Heather Kinley   (country)

Liberace (twin died at birth)

Alanis Morresette
(progressive)

Gunnar and Matthew
Nelson (rock)

Elvis Presley (twin died at birth)

Actors/Actresses
(over age 10)

Karen Black

Montgomery Clift

Deidre Hall

Linda Hamilton

Jill Hennessy

Tia and Tamera Mowry

Mary-Kate and Ashley
Olsen

Alexandra Paul

Ed Sullivan

Billy Dee Williams

Authors

Heloise Bowles

Ann Landers and Abigail
Van Buren

Thorton Wilder



  


The twin bond

As any parent of twins will you tell and researchers have documented, twins bond with each other in special ways.  This is especially true of identical twins who, after all, share the same genes.

The special bond between twins often shows up in infancy. Baby twins may exhibit similar eating, sleeping, and behavior habits. They may tend to sleep at the same time and, unfortunately, awake and cry at the same time. Some parents note that their infant twins seem to entertain each other while in their cribs. Conversely, when separated some twins become easily upset.

As twins become older, the special bond between them remains even as differences begin to emerge. Playing together is a key part of this bonding. Sometimes, twins develop their own unique language, with words and phrases that are only understandable to them. This is known as cryptophasia. Even in normal conversations, one twin may finish the sentence started by the other.

Because of the special relationship between twins, parents struggle with whether to separate twins into different classrooms when they begin school. While many schools recommend separation so that each child can develop a stronger sense of autonomy, most experts (and parents) believe each situation should be decided individually.

Even as twins mature and develop more independent lives, the twin bond can remain very strong. Adult twins often maintain regular, even daily, contact with each other.  Interestingly, studies have revealed that twins reared apart, especially identical twins, exhibit very similar behavioral characteristics even after they become adults. Similarities between twins reared apart show up in their voices, gestures, fears and phobias, and a host of other ways.



*all of the information on this page was provided by TWINS MAGAZINE's website