Details
Triplets
Three children or animals born at the same birth is called ‘triplets’.
Triplets can be either fraternal, identical, or a combination of both. The most common are strictly fraternal triplets, which come from a polyzygotic pregnancy of three eggs. Less common are triplets from a dizygotic pregnancy, where one zygote divides into two identical fetuses, and the other doesn't. Least common are identical triplets, i.e., three fetuses from one egg. In this case the original zygote divides into two, and then one of those two zygotes divides again but the other does not.
Fraternal triplets:
Trizygotic or fraternal triplets are formed when three separate eggs are fertilized by three separate sperms. The babies can be of the same or opposite genders.
Identical triplets:
Identical triplets happen when a single egg is fertilized and then later splits. These newly divided embryos are identical. The siblings born will look like each other and be the same sex.
Polyzygotic pregnancy:
A multiple pregnancy occurring from three or more zygotes is called polyzygotic. Similarly, the siblings themselves from a multiple birth may be referred to as polyzygotic if they are fraternal.
Dizygotic pregnancy:
A multiple pregnancy occurring from two zygotes is called dizygotic.
Zygote:
A zygote, also known as a fertilized ovum or fertilized egg, is formed by the union of a sperm cell and an egg cell.
Content partner
