Gold Coast Multiple Birth Association

GCMBA

The Gold Coast Multiple Birth Association connects Gold Coast parents and families of multiples with each-other, providing a local support network

Interesting facts about multiples...

Did you know....

  • That multiple births of 3 or more are called Higher Order Multiples (HOMs)?

  • Two babies sharing a womb similtaneously are known as twins, 3 at once are known as triplets, 4 at once are known as quadruplets, 5 at once are known as quintuplets, 6 are known as sextuplets, 7 are known as septuplets and 8 at once are known as octuplets

  • Due to the increased physical demand on a woman carrying more than one baby, all multiple pregnancies are classified as High Risk Pregnancies and require more frequent hospital visits as well as more ultrasounds.

  • The Centrelink defintion of multiple birth includes 3 or more but excludes twins

  • The "secret language of twins" is known as ideoglossia and is thought to be a mispronounciation of the children's native tongue which the children do not correct because their co-twin is capable of understanding them.

  • Twins (both identical and fraternal) play an important role in scientific research into genetics, personality and general development. You can sign up to help with this research by visiting the Australian Twin Registry

  • Identical twins are the result of one egg and one sperm and are created when the egg splits after fertilisation. Identicals are always the same gender; ie Boy/Boy or Girl/Girl - identical twins cannot be Boy/Girl pairs.

  • Fraternal twins are the result of 2 separate eggs and 2 separate sperms and may actually be conceived on separate occassions. Fraternal twins can be any combination of Boy/Girl, Boy/Boy or Girl/Girl

  • Triplets can be all identical or a combination of 1 fraternal + 2 identical embryo's meaning that it is possible to have triplets that either all look the same or 2 of the children look the same while the third triplet simply looks similar to his/her siblings

  • The incidence of multiple births worldwide is growing and is thought to be a result of both fertility treatments and an aging population. As women age, they start to release more eggs each month which results in an increased chance of fraternal twinning.

  • While fraternal multiples are thought to run in the family, the occurence of identical multiples has yet to be explained.

The Gold Coast Multiple Birth Assistance Association Inc., (a regional not for profit branch of the Australian Multiple Birth Association), was founded in 1980 as a support network for the growing number of Gold Coast parents joining the ranks of twin, triplet and Higher Order Multiples.

The Association is open to all parents (natural, foster and adoptive) of multiple birth children. We provide information, practical assistance and support for multiple birth families. We are proud to have increased awareness of the social and practical needs of multiple birth families and to have improved the resources available to them.

Helping you connect with local multiple birth families

ESTABLISHED 1980