IVFTwins are fascinating, plain and simple. From being able to create secret languages to the eerie intuition they have about one another, there's a bond there that's unlike any other. I think anyone who isn't a twin has wished for one at some time or another; I know I have. But just when you thought twins couldn't get any more fascinating, a new study shows just how early that bond may begin and how deep it may be.

Whereas twin pregnancies are often considered more risky, when it comes to IVF, twins actually fare better. According to Reuters Health, in a recent Spanish study, researchers found that twin embryos had an 83 percent rate of "survival to birth" as opposed to a 76 percent rate for a single embryo. The researchers believe that one embryo may save the other's life before they're born. They believe the stronger twin may actually help the weaker twin.

How cool is that?

Of course, not everyone agrees. Dr. Alan Cooperman, director of reproductive endocrinology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, told Reuters Health it's an "interesting hypothesis," but said that there's no evidence of the embryos helping each other implant. He believes it's an independent process.

I personally want to believe the Spanish researchers because it's just so amazing to think of this whole He's Not Heavy, He's My Brother thing going on from the very beginning with twins. It certainly doesn't sound unthinkable and would definitely explain some of that future closeness that's seen in twins.

In any case, it certainly deserves more research. Besides being fascinating, it's also important information for those undergoing IVF. Because of the risks sometimes associated with multiples, couples often shy away from transferring more than one embryo, but this could change things and hopefully provide more insight that may eventually help more couples achieve their dreams of parenthood.

What do you think of this latest study on twins?


Image via Nina Matthews Photography/Flickr