Seeing double: Atlanta kindergarten has 4 sets of twins

By Gracie Bonds Staples

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

It used to be there was a 1 in 300 chance of giving birth to twins. But according to a recent study by the National Center for Health Statistics, twins represent 32.21 of every 1,000 births. That’s quite a jump.

Still, it was surprising to learn recently that there are six sets of twins at West Manor Elementary School in Atlanta, including four sets in the school’s 39-member kindergarten class.

Cheryl Twyman, principal at West Manor, said additional sets of twins are in the school’s second and fourth grade class. West Manor has 295 students.

Twyman said the siblings spend the school day in separate classrooms.

“They are two different children with their own unique personalities, intellect and physical characteristics,” she said. “We want them to be seen that way.”

Meet the twins

Jonathan and Justice Bateman

Identical

Born: April 6, 2004 to Jonathan and Meila Bateman

Siblings: Ayonna, 9; Jazahn, 2

Father has twins in the family; Mother does not

Khaleed and Khaleah Davis

Fraternal

Born: Aug. 27, 2004 to Danielle Davis and Gregory Thompson

Twins on both mother’s and father’s side of the family.

Brent and Brooke Morton

Fraternal

Born: July 22, 2004 to Felicia and Brian Morton

Sibling: Bria, 9

Mother has three sets of twins in family; not aware of twins on father’s side.

Halimah and Talib Brubaker

Fraternal

Born: July 21, 2004 to Chandra and the late Keith Brubaker

Siblings: Chantel, 21, and Aziza, 12

Mother has twins in the family; no twins in father’s family

You’re more likely to have multiples if...

You’re African American

You already have children. Although no one is sure why, a woman’s chances of having twins increase with each pregnancy.

You’re older. As you age, your body produces more follicle-stimulating hormone, which can cause your ovaries to “drop” several eggs during each cycle.

You’re overweight. A study in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology found that women with a body mass index over 30 (180 pounds for a 5’5” woman, for example) are twice as likely to have fraternal twins as are thinner women. In addition, the study found that taller women (those over 5’5”) are more likely to have fraternal twins than shorter women are.

Multiples run in the family. This is especially true on the mother’s side. In fact, one in 60 female nonidentical twins gives birth to multiples.

Source: www.parent.com

The difference:

Fraternal twins are two separate eggs by two separate sperm. They may be boy/boy, girl/girl boy/girl sets.

Identical twins are formed when one fertilized egg divides into two separate embryos to make two babies.

Source: wwwmultipletreasures.com

Some celebrity mothers of twins:

Holly Robinson-Peete

Angela Bassett

Angelina Jolie

Jennifer Lopez

Marcia Cross

Julia Roberts

Laura Bush

Jane Seymour

Holly Hunter

Joan Lunden