My sister and I were both born in 2008 but we aren't twins – peoples jaws drops when they find out how our age gap works
A TEEN has left people scratching their heads by saying her and her sister were both born in 2008 but aren't twins.
TikTok user @amber_andjade said how she often tells people that there is a small age gap between her and her sibling.
2
2
However, when people guess that it's around two years, she tells them it is even smaller than that.
In a clip on TikTok, she posted: 'Jan 2008 and Dec 2008."
One person replied to the video asking: 'How is that even possible…'
However, people were quick to explain: 'Her mother got pregnant 3 or 2 months after she was born."
The social media user said that they are in the same class at school due to their close age.
Others pointed out that she's an 'Irish twin', which is a term often given to babies born less than 12 months apart.
The term Irish twins was initially used as a derogatory term aimed at Irish-Catholics who emigrated to America.
As Catholics do not believe in contraception, Irish families were often large, with children born close together in age.
One person shared: 'damn mom didn't get a chance to relax.'
Another added: 'Your father was so impatient.'
I'm my own TWIN - I have two sets of DNA, two blood types & different skin tone
A third commented: 'mom really said 'wow let's do that again'.'
We previously shared about one mum who got pregnant three weeks after giving birth.
Jemma McCullough shared details of her unconventional family situation via a video posted to her TikTok channel.
Jemma gave birth to a daughter just 10 months after her son was born.
In the UK, the average age gap between siblings is around two years and two months.
Only a small percentage of pregnancies occur within 12 months of a previous birth.
A US-based study found that about 0.2 per cent of women gave birth twice within the same calendar year.
What are the different types of twins?
TWINS are when two children are produced in the same pregnancy.
They can be identical or different, and two boys, two girls, or a girl and a boy.
Twins are quite rare, but are usually born completely healthy
What are the different types of twins?
Monozygotic – identical twins ('one cell' twins)
Dizygotic – also known as 'fraternal', non identical twins. Babies are no more alike than siblings born at separate times, and they can be the same or different sexes
Conjoined twins – identical twins that are joined together. They are extremely rare, and it's estimated they range from one in 49,000 to 189,000 births, although around half are stillborn, and one third die within 24 hours.
Can identical twins be two different sexes?
Identical twins are always of the same sex because they form from the same fertilised egg that contains either female or male chromosomes.
The single egg is divided into two separate embryos, and they occur in about three in every 1000 deliveries worldwide.
Therefore, boy/girl twins are always fraternal (or dizygotic), as their chromosomes are either XY (male) or XX (female).
What are Di Di twins?
Di Di stands for Dichronic Diamniotic, and they are the common type of twins.
They have their own amniotic sacs and placenta, so are just sharing the womb of the mother, and are therefore not identical.
There are few complications with Di Di twins, so have a good chance of being born completely healthy without intervention from your doctor.
Di di twins are more likely to be non-identical than identical.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Subtle warning signs of 'silent disease' 16m Americans are living with and don't know
Nearly 16 million people have the most deadly type of liver disease, yet 80 percent of them have no idea. About five percent of adults worldwide have metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) a serious liver condition caused by fat buildup, inflammation, and scarring. It's the most dangerous type of fatty liver disease MASH triggers liver scarring, which can progress to cirrhosis, and significantly increases the risk of heart disease, chronic kidney disease, and liver cancer. Just one in five Americans with the condition are actually diagnosed. Most patients do not experience symptoms until the damage is irreversible, making it a 'silent disease'. However, as the condition progresses, individuals may experience fatigue, pain or discomfort in the upper right belly, unexplained weight loss, weakness, and in some cases, jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes). A coalition of researchers from the US, Europe, and South Africa said that MASH-related liver failure and other complications, including deaths, are becoming more severe and common. The scientists behind the report, published in The Lancet Regional Health Europe, are calling for a doubling in MASH diagnosis rates from the 2022 level, about 13 percent (the current rate is just under 20 percent). They estimated that about 2.6 million people in the US, UK, Germany, and France have been diagnosed with MASH. But if testing were adequately improved and scaled up to become more accessible and commonplace, that figure could balloon to 6.1 million. People with type 2 diabetes, obesity, and heart disease should be prioritized for blood work and other screening tests, which will need to skyrocket from about two million to 36 million. Follow-up testing also needs to jump by nearly 1,300 percent to meet patient needs, and in more settings than liver clinics, such as family doctors' offices, and with diabetes and heart doctors. People with diabetes are especially prone to liver damage leading to MASH. Around 30 to 60 percent of diabetics also have MASH. Obesity is another leading risk factor, with estimates suggesting that 75 percent of overweight people and 90 percent with obesity will develop the condition. People with MASH also have a tripled risk of also developing heart disease, including coronary artery disease, stroke, and heart failure, compared to people without the condition. MASH diagnosis is poised for a major shift, mirroring past breakthroughs in chronic disease management. With new treatments approved and others on the horizon, the focus now turns to fixing systemic roadblocks. Currently, limited access to non-invasive tests and reliance on specialists leave most cases undetected until late stages. MASH arises from a cascade of liver damage typically linked to a buildup of fat in the liver, which triggers inflammation that damages liver cells and activates scar-forming cells. What was once healthy liver tissue becomes stiff, progressively crippling the liver's ability to detoxify blood. Though this is often painless until the damage becomes too severe to be reversed. If caught early, people can live normal lifespans with MASH. Lifestyle changes - eating a healthier diet, exercising regularly, and losing between five and 10 percent of one's body weight - can slow down the progression of MASH and repair some of the damage. Doctors may prescribe resmetirom, the first FDA-approved medication for MASH, to work hand-in-hand with those lifestyle changes. But severe damage can cause deadly conditions that cut a person's life drastically short. 'Each late-stage MASH diagnosis represents a missed opportunity for earlier intervention to prevent disease progression, threatening worse [liver] and [non-liver] outcomes for people living with the condition and greater costs for individuals, health systems, and societies,' researchers told a Barcelona medical conference this week. The solution requires concrete changes from moving diagnostics to implementing automated tools in electronic records. The researchers said that success in improving diagnostics goes beyond devising better tests. A fundamental reworking of methods of care is needed that catches at-risk patients before irreversible damage occurs. 'Paradigm shifts do not occur in a vacuum, but arise when leaps in science, technology, and innovation are coupled with changes in perception and understanding within a community,' they said. 'A confluence of factors in 2024 and expected drug approvals in many European countries in 2025 point to a near term tipping point for MASH diagnoses; nonetheless, focused and sustained efforts are needed to turn such opportunities into reality.'
Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Scottish Sun
The ‘golden dose' of Mounjaro that experts warn could be deadly – as slimmers rave about it saving money
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A GROWING number of slimmers are trying to squeeze extra jabs out of empty Mounjaro pens in a risky bid to cut costs. The weight-loss injections, which can cost hundreds of pounds a month, are designed to deliver a fixed amount once a week, typically over four weeks. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Experts have warned against trying to get an extra dose from the weight-loss pens Credit: Getty But online users claim there's still a small amount of drug left after the final shot. They say the 'fifth' dose can be drawn out with a syringe for a bonus jab, dubbed the 'golden dose'. One TikTok user claimed the trick saved her a fortune. By getting five jabs from a four-dose pen, users reckon they can claw back £615 a year. The reports come after NHS England said only a small number of people will be able to get Mounjaro from their GP. It means most people will still have to pay for it privately. 'The drugs are expensive but weight loss is strongly desired, so as a commodity, these drugs are hotly sought-after,' said Professor Naveed Sattar, a cardiologist and obesity expert at the University of Glasgow, said. 'It's no surprise people are going to such extraordinary lengths," she told the inews. Medics say the DIY hack is dangerous and could lead to infection, overdose or death. "People are reading these tips on online forums and being tempted to use them to save money," said Professor Penny Ward, a pharmaceutical expert at King's College London. Women taking fat jabs need 'effective contraception' - as health chiefs warn of serious harm to unborn babies "But they're risking serious side effects from overdosing by doing this - as well as the potential to develop a life-threatening infection. "The potential to develop a life-threatening infection. It's not a good idea at all," she told MailOnline. Talk of the so-called 'golden dose' is also spreading on Reddit weight-loss forums. In one thread with more than 50 comments, a user wrote: "After four pumps of your uk injection pen they tell you to throw it away. "But there is an extra dose or thereabouts in the pen you can self inject with an insulin needle." Another replied saying: "Known much more on here as the fifth dose." 2 There's also the danger of taking too much Mounjaro, experts warn Credit: Alamy Slimmers have also taken to TikTok to rave about the 'discovery'. In one video, a nurse demonstrates how to use a needle to extract leftover medicine from the pen. She wrote: "I do not condone or encourage anybody to take their golden dose this is just what I am doing." Huge risks Professor Penny warned that this practice can be dangerous for "several" reasons. "These injections contain a slight overfill to ensure the full recommended dose is delivered each time," she said. "But by drawing this out with a separate syringe and using it as a so-called fifth dose, you're exposing yourself to serious risk of infection.' Once the pen has been used, it's no longer sterile, meaning any leftover liquid could be contaminated with harmful bacteria. Injecting it could lead to abscesses or, in extreme cases, life-threatening sepsis. The bigger the dose, the bigger the risk of pancreatitis Professor Penny Ward There's also the danger of taking too much. 'If you're using your own syringe, it's difficult to measure the correct amount - you may end up taking more than intended,' she warned. Overdosing on the jab can trigger nasty side effects like vomiting and diarrhoea, or in rare cases, pancreatitis - a serious and painful condition that may need hospital treatment. Around one in five cases result in serious complications, with up to 30 per cent proving fatal. The risk rises sharply with higher doses, as the drug can trigger digestive enzymes that begin attacking the pancreas itself. Symptoms include sudden, severe tummy pain, often spreading to the back, along with fever, nausea and a racing heartbeat. "The bigger the dose, the bigger the risk of pancreatitis," Professor Ward warned. Everything you need to know about fat jabs Weight loss jabs are all the rage as studies and patient stories reveal they help people shed flab at almost unbelievable rates, as well as appearing to reduce the risk of serious diseases. Wegovy – a modified version of type 2 diabetes drug Ozempic – and Mounjaro are the leading weight loss injections used in the UK. Wegovy, real name semaglutide, has been used on the NHS for years while Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is a newer and more powerful addition to the market. Mounjaro accounts for most private prescriptions for weight loss and is set to join Wegovy as an NHS staple this year. How do they work? The jabs work by suppressing your appetite, making you eat less so your body burns fat for energy instead and you lose weight. They do this my mimicking a hormone called GLP-1, which signals to the brain when the stomach is full, so the drugs are officially called GLP-1 receptor agonists. They slow down digestion and increase insulin production, lowering blood sugar, which is why they were first developed to treat type 2 diabetes in which patients' sugar levels are too high. Can I get them? NHS prescriptions of weight loss drugs, mainly Wegovy and an older version called Saxenda (chemical name liraglutide), are controlled through specialist weight loss clinics. Typically a patient will have to have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, classifying them as medically obese, and also have a weight-related health condition such as high blood pressure. GPs generally do not prescribe the drugs for weight loss. Private prescribers offer the jabs, most commonly Mounjaro, to anyone who is obese (BMI of 30+) or overweight (BMI 25-30) with a weight-related health risk. Private pharmacies have been rapped for handing them out too easily and video calls or face-to-face appointments are now mandatory to check a patient is being truthful about their size and health. Are there any risks? Yes – side effects are common but most are relatively mild. Around half of people taking the drug experience gut issues, including sickness, bloating, acid reflux, constipation and diarrhoea. Dr Sarah Jarvis, GP and clinical consultant at said: 'One of the more uncommon side effects is severe acute pancreatitis, which is extremely painful and happens to one in 500 people.' Other uncommon side effects include altered taste, kidney problems, allergic reactions, gallbladder problems and hypoglycemia. Evidence has so far been inconclusive about whether the injections are damaging to patients' mental health. Figures obtained by The Sun show that, up to January 2025, 85 patient deaths in the UK were suspected to be linked to the medicines. Mounjaro - dubbed the "King Kong" of weight loss jabs - works by mimicking hormones released by the body when you're full. This makes people feel fuller for longer and therefore less hungry. It appears to be to be more potent than Wegovy - another popular weight loss jab - causing about 20 per cent weight loss after a year's use, compared with Wegovy's 15 per cent. Mounjaro's active ingredient is tirzepatide, a lab-made compound that mimics two gut hormones - GLP-1 and GIP - which help control blood sugar and appetite. This is why it was initially approved to treat diabetes type 2, which happens when people can't control their blood sugar. But in December 2024, it was also cleared for use on the NHS for weight loss in people with a BMI of over 30, or over 27 plus one weight-related condition. 'Excess solution' should be 'discarded' If you notice there is a considerable amount of medication left in your pen after the last dose, Professor Penny added, it may mean that you're not using the injection properly. "Speak to your pharmacist about your technique, or check that you definitely have the right size syringe, as this can impact the amount of medication left over," she said. A spokesperson for Lilly - the drug's manufacturer - said users should not do this, as the remaining liquid may not be a full dose. 'It is important to note that there will be a residual amount of medicine left after the fourth dose," they said. "This does not correspond to a full dose." 'Any excess solution in the pen after use should be discarded.' Dr Alison Cave, chief safety officer of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, added: "Medicines are approved according to strict dosage guidelines. "Failure to adhere with these guidelines, such as tampering with pre-dosed injection pens, could harm your health or cause personal injury. "People should follow the dosing directions provided by their healthcare provider when prescribed weight-loss medicines and use as directed in the patient information leaflet."
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
NHS body quietly withdraws guidance over bathroom use for trans people
The NHS Confederation has revoked guidance that advised hospitals to allow trans people to use bathrooms and changing rooms of their choice. The decision follows April's Supreme Court ruling that said the words "woman" and "sex" in the Equality Act refer to biological sex, leading to disputes over equality policies. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has issued interim guidance stating that trans women should not be permitted to use women's facilities, which is being legally challenged. Trans rights groups and legal experts have criticised the NHS Confederation's decision, warning of legal complexities and potential harm to trans people needing medical care. The NHS Confederation said it will update and reinstate its guidance once the EHRC updates its Code of Practice and NHS England provides further instructions.
