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NOTE: Opinions and advice provided on this website are based on the personal experience of the author, Stacy Quarty. Ms. Quarty in no way claims to be a professional source of medical, psychological or statistical information.

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Q. Are fraternal or identical twins hereditary? I've heard that identical are not hereditary and fraternal can be, if passed from mother to mother. But somehow I cannot believe this. My grandmother on my dad's side had seven kids. Three of her sons (my uncles), each had a set of twins, (two sets fraternal and one identical). One of the fraternal sets of twins (my cousin) had her own set of identical twins. And one of my grandmother’s daughters had a daughter who herself had fraternal twins. So that is five sets of twins in my extended family. Are all of these twins just a coincidence? Maybe scientists have just not found the gene that codes for twins?
-Kelly, Georgia

A. You're right, there's not a lot of solid evidence out there.

Here's what I've unearthed: Twins do run in families, but supposedly only fraternal twins, not identical. There have been many cases of identical twins running in families, but there seems to be no scientific evidence to support a genetic explanation (yet). However, if the mother herself is a fraternal twin, the chances of having twins increases about five-fold.

Q. What determines if I'll be able to deliver vaginally? I have very narrow hips and I am of small stature. Will I need a C-section?
-Angie, Colorado

A. Although small women with narrow hips may have a higher rate of Cesarean deliveries, it does not mean you cannot deliver vaginally. There are a number of factors that may affect your birthing outcome:

• Heredity: If your mother was also narrow-hipped and had to have C-section deliveries, your odds for a C increase.
• Weight gain: Less weight gain usually increases your chances for a smaller baby. A small baby is a lot easier to push out through an orange-sized hole than an almost nine-pounder like my first was.
• The baby's position: If the baby is head-down and "drops" prior to labor, your pelvis has the opportunity to work on opening up, increasing your chances for the vag birth.
• Labor Progression: If your labor progresses normally (without the aid of drugs, such as Pitocin), the chances for full dilation of the cervix and a vaginal delivery are better.

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Q. My daughter is pregnant with twins. Twins run on my husband's side– both of his parents had twins in the family line. On my side there have never been twins. Are twins passed genetically?
-Susan, Indiana

A. Current research has shown that twins do run in families, but supposedly only fraternal twins, not identical. Fraternal twins are the result of two separate eggs becoming fertilized, meaning the mother is a multiple egg producer. If the mother is a fraternal twin herself, the chances for her having twins increase about five-fold. Identical twins have been noted to run in families, but there is no scientific evidence to support a genetic link yet.

In today's age of fertility drugs and in-vitro reproduction, it's becoming increasing difficult to accurately document genetic evidence of twins.

I would guess that your family's twins are a result of genetics unless fertility drugs have been introduced.

Q. Is hypothyroidism hereditary and will my baby have thyroid problems if my boyfriend and I do? Neither one of us has a history of thyroid medical problems.
-Caroline, Florida

A. On average, thyroid disease is passed genetically about 50% of the time. Since you and your boyfriend both have had thyroid issues, the chances of your child inheriting this trait do increase. On the positive side, most cases of hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism manifest themselves after age 35. If your child does inherit thyroid disease, modern medicine should offer much better treatment options and preventive measures for the disease in the future.