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Oh, Brother! Female Twins Less Likely to Have Kids

Blame exposure to testosterone

By Dustin Lushing, Newser Staff

Posted Jun 19, 2007 3:00 PM CDT

(Newser) – Female twins with twin brothers are less likely to marry and have kids than those with twin sisters, a new study shows, and those who do reproduce have fewer children. Elevated exposure to testosterone in utero appears to be the culprit, say British scientists who reached back over two centuries to find records unaffected by modern health care.

Researchers measured the impact of the hormone by analyzing Finnish records dating from 1734 to 1888, the BBC reports, and turned up 754 twins. They attributed the decreased fertility of the females from opposite-sex twins—which persisted even if the male twin died at birth—to greater likelihood of masculine characteristics and elevated risk of diseases such as reproductive cancers.

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Oh, Brother! Female Twins Less Likely to Have Kids

Blame exposure to testosterone

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Couples Rattled by Recession Delay Kids

Babyies too expensive in shrinking economy

And Baby Makes ... Too Many?

Docs want to cut number of multiple births from fertility treatment

Testosterone in Womb Linked to Autistic Traits

Supports theory that problem is 'extreme male brain' disorder

UK Weighs Revolution in IVF Rules

Bill would require birth certificates to note donor involvement

Cancer Patients Gain Fertility Hope

Eggs from girls as young as 5 can be frozen before chemotherapy

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Oh, Brother! Female Twins Less Likely to Have Kids

Blame exposure to testosterone

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OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

pregnancy • fertility • twins • children • estrogen • testosterone • hormones • family • health study

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Couples Rattled by Recession Delay Kids

Babyies too expensive in shrinking economy

And Baby Makes ... Too Many?

Docs want to cut number of multiple births from fertility treatment

Testosterone in Womb Linked to Autistic Traits

Supports theory that problem is 'extreme male brain' disorder

UK Weighs Revolution in IVF Rules

Bill would require birth certificates to note donor involvement

Cancer Patients Gain Fertility Hope

Eggs from girls as young as 5 can be frozen before chemotherapy

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Newser By Users

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