Another theory: Vanishing Twin Syndrome.

[Jaymees22]

I read a book a few weeks ago where they mentioned Vanishing Twin Syndrome. So being curious I Googled it and found some interesting things. Most births that start out as twins only result in one baby being born. The one twin is absorbed by the mother and/or the surviving twin. Most twins are fraternal not identical and slightly more than half of the fraternal twins are of opposite sex.

This rarely happens but could lead to a child with Klinefelter's Syndrome a genetic disorder of extra chromosomes, which has had some discussion here. My thought was that some of us could be surviving twins, with not quite enough to cause that problem but enough to make us feel like something is missing and we need to get in touch with our missing "sister". I know one of my initial reasons I started dressing was a strong desire just to see what I would look like as a woman, as if I had a sister.

Any thoughts or any knowledge of VTS... Jaymee

[Confucius]

Okay, let's do the math.
3% of pregnancies result in twins.
Of these twins approximately half of them are fraternal and half of the fraternal twins are opposite sex.
Also there are estimates that 1/8 of pregnancies with twins end as a vanishing twin.
That gives the highest possible estimates to be .03 X 0.5 X 0.5 X 0.125 = 0.0009375

This means that if vanishing twin syndrome is a viable theory for crossdressing then crossdressing would be affecting about one in ten thousand individuals. That is way off actual statistics, almost 100-fold. I have seen estimates for cross-dressing around 3%, which is the same as all cases of twins!


I believe our brains are just hard-wired for cross-dressing. When we cross-dress our brains release a host of neurotransmitters (dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, etc.) which produce the sensations that make us happy. Exactly how do our brains get hard-wired this way? Well it has to do with synaptogenesis and neural pruning, and perhaps even some psychological factors.

[Jaymees22]

Okay, let's do the math.
3% of pregnancies result in twins.
Of these twins approximately half of them are fraternal and half of the fraternal twins are opposite sex.
Also there are estimates that 1/8 of pregnancies with twins end as a vanishing twin.
That gives the highest possible estimates to be .03 X 0.5 X 0.5 X 0.125 = 0.0009375

This means that if vanishing twin syndrome is a viable theory for crossdressing then crossdressing would be affecting about one in ten thousand individuals. That is way off actual statistics, almost 100-fold. I have seen estimates for cross-dressing around 3%, which is the same as all cases of twins!


I believe our brains are just hard-wired for cross-dressing. When we cross-dress our brains release a host of neurotransmitters (dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, etc.) which produce the sensations that make us happy. Exactly how do our brains get hard-wired this way? Well it has to do with synaptogenesis and neural pruning, and perhaps even some psychological factors.

Actually the twins at conception is estimated to be as high as 30% but only 10% result in twins being born as you state 3%. So I think there might be more due to VTS, but of course there are many other reasons and possibilities. Jaymee

[sometimes_miss]

It's an interesting theory, but there are too many people who are not affected that way for it to hold true.

[Laura912]

Spent a lifetime in a career dealing with this. Cute theory by Jaymee and one can understand the thoughts behind it, but not gonna work.

[Wildaboutheels]

It certainly is possible that it accounts for some.

But all the various #S that this site [all by itself] posts in various places clearly answer the WHY for the vast majority of CDers regardless of any labels they might use for themselves.

THE most popular Forum here by far is a No Brainer. Of course it makes perfect sense because it's open to all.

The second most popular [as the numbers show] is also a NB.

[Jorja]

Jaymee, what have you been smokin' girl? Dang, I want some of that!

[Beverley Sims]

I thought that was something being researched at Roswell.

Area 59 1/2. :)

[Jaylyn]

Really I do believe that some chromosomes might be the cause but the VTS I don't buy, but being an old science prof. I do believe that new things can be discovered daily so I won't refute anything unless it is totally obvious and tested.

[Kate T]

I suspect Vanishing Twin Syndrome is not so much a syndrome as a normal physiological response.
Eutherian mammals can be broadly broken up into multiparous and uniparous with respect to pregnancy and bearing young. Multiparous mammals typically have small long uterine horns and ovulate multiple eggs at a time. They are typically smaller in size and have relatively short life spans. The larger the mammal the more likely it is to be uniparous (i.e. has only one child at a time) they have large uterine bodies and very short uterine horns and typically ovulate only a couple of eggs at one time. They also typically have longer life spans.
In uniparous mammals multiple pregnancies (i.e. twins etc.) are often fighting for the same resources in an environment that has evolved only to support one foetus. It is not surprising then that in cases of more than one foetus that a combination of physiological factors contrives to reduce this to the more manageable single pregnancy.
I have got no idea though what on earth this has to do with CD or transgender expression??

[Kate Simmons]

We have the ability to re-route our own neural pathways.:)

[CostaRicaRachel]

I'm guessing some crossdressers/transgendered people are twins. So the theory won't hold unless they began as triplets and
then one got absorbed so they became twins;)

[Jamie Hugs]

This is so crazy, I was thinking this exact question maybe a week ago, I for one am totally on board. I have twins and there are many many sets on my mothers side, it feels like it could be true in my case.

[Helena Gwyn]

Coincidence, I'm reading a book by about it right now (http://freespirit-tv.com/2011/11/austermann%E2%80%8F-the-surviving-twin-syndrome/), recommended by my therapist. It's a rather new way of looking at pregnancies, but more and more scientifically confirmed. Being a surviving twin might result in many relational, psychological or even medical problems in your lifespan.
I'm not saying it's THE cause for crossdressing or transgenderism at all, but it might be an unconscious reason for some to search for the opposite sex within themselves because they lost a sister (or brother when FTM) at a very early phase during the pregnancy.

[Jaymees22]

Coincidence, I'm reading a book by about it right now (http://freespirit-tv.com/2011/11/austermann%E2%80%8F-the-surviving-twin-syndrome/), recommended by my therapist. It's a rather new way of looking at pregnancies, but more and more scientifically confirmed. Being a surviving twin might result in many relational, psychological or even medical problems in your lifespan.
I'm not saying it's THE cause for crossdressing or transgenderism at all, but it might be an unconscious reason for some to search for the opposite sex within themselves because they lost a sister (or brother when FTM) at a very early phase during the pregnancy.

Thank you Helena, I think I didn't present my case to well, but you have and also thanks for providing that link. Jaymee

[Persephone]

I guess we just always have to wonder.

"The cause of vanishing twin syndrome is frequently unknown. Abnormalities that result in the vanishing twin appear to be present from early in development rather than from a sudden occurrence. Analysis of the placenta and/or fetal tissue frequently reveals chromosomal abnormalities, while the surviving twin is usually normal." American Pregnancy Association website (http://americanpregnancy.org/multiples/vanishing-twin-syndrome/).

A few years ago my doctor ordered a chromosome analysis on me. We found that 17% of my cells are female XO cells, lacking a second chromosome. Such female cells cause a condition known as Turner's Snydrome. While about 1 per 2,500 female births are Turner's Syndrome females it is estimated that up to 95% of Turner's Syndrome fetuses result in miscarriages.

Kinda suggests that I may be a possible case of Vanishing Twin Syndrome.

Hugs,
Persephone.

[Helena Gwyn]

I just wanted to share that I talked about this today with my therapist after reading the book.
With or without a lost twin sister, my desires to feel or be like a woman are part of me, and as every human being is called upon to become themselves, it's my right and duty to be they way I feel I am on the inside.
This is not new to me, but for me personally I'm at ease knowing that, although knowing I might have had a sister, it doesn't matter for my path as long as I follow my heart.

[CherylFlint]

I have ALWAYS thought of myself as two people rolled into one.
I remember when I was just a little kid, around 4, and wished that I could be wearing dresses and have long hair.
Well, now I'm a BIG KID and wear my hair long and I wear dresses, but it wasn't as easy as it sounds, was it?
No thoiughts, however, on the VTS.

[NicoleScott]

So, my Vanished Twin must have been a girl, because I want to wear her clothes?

[Helena Gwyn]

That's not what I'm saying perce. A vanishing twin might be a possible part of the reason why someone wants to CD. But whatever reason it may be, it's who you are, so no therapeutic session that helps you realize and discover you have a lost twin sister, will stop you from wanting to dress.