Expecting twins? Congratulations! You may be pregnant with fraternal twins or identical twins. Identical twins, also called monozygotic twins, occur from a single fertilized egg that splits to develop into two fetuses. These twins are the same sex and share all of the same physical traits. Fraternal twins, or dizygotic twins, each come from a separate egg and two different sperm. They may or may not be the same sex. 
Either way, being pregnant with multiples means that you will be taking extra care of your health and the health of your two babies. You will likely see the doctor more often and have a few more tests. According to the March of Dimes, more than 60 percent of all twins are born prematurely, which means that planning ahead is even more important.
The Importance of Using a Private Cord Blood Bank
As you consider cord blood banking for your twins’ health, you’ll want to consult with a private cord blood bank. Public cord blood banks only accept donations when one baby is expected. If you are having twins, you will be unable to donate umbilical cord blood to a public cord blood bank. Luckily, private cord blood banks are a great option for parents of multiples.
Enhanced Benefits with Twin Cord Blood Banking
With scientists continually finding new uses for cord blood stem cells, a healthy twin can help their well-matched twin if stem cells are needed in the future. With a syngeneic transplant, identical twins can treat each other with cells from their cord blood. The benefit of cord blood stem cell treatment is even higher between fraternal twins. With allogeneic transplants, the cord blood can be used to treat their fraternal twin, another child, or even their parents. It is also possible to combine the cord blood from two twins if a higher quantity is needed.
Remember that only private cord blood banks ensure that you’ll be able to access your child’s own umbilical cord stem cells in the future. This is also important if you have a family history of disease, if you have mixed-race children, or if you want to ensure a sibling or family match in the future.
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Sources:
1. http://www.webmd.com/baby/cord-blood-banking-for-twins?page=2 2.
2. http://www.dadsguidetotwins.com/cord-blood-banking-with-twins/