• Question: Is there such a thing as identical sextuplets? Is it even possible!?

    Asked by allismae to Ed, Katie, Sam, Steve, Vera on 19 Jun 2011.
    • Photo: Vera Weisbecker

      Vera Weisbecker answered on 17 Jun 2011:

      I’m not sure but since identical siblings are all from the same egg, I suspect that it isn’t possible (unless artificially).

    • Photo: Steven Daly

      Steven Daly answered on 17 Jun 2011:

      I agree with Vera, I think that sextuplets are likely from different eggs, and so would be like non-identical twins. I am not sure though.

    • Photo: Sam Tazzyman

      Sam Tazzyman answered on 17 Jun 2011:

      I also agree with Vera, though I don’t know for sure. I think it’s unlikely that the same egg would split into six eggs the way it can into two eggs for identical twins. But it might be possible, with some artificial help?

    • Photo: Ed Morrison

      Ed Morrison answered on 17 Jun 2011:

      It’s certainly possible in principle. Identical siblings are produced when a fertilised zygote (when an egg and sperm have fused) split. This can happen multiple times to produce identical triplets. I’ve never heard of six in humans, but in other animals it may happen. Some armadillos always give birth to identical quadruplets.

    • Photo: Katie Marriott

      Katie Marriott answered on 19 Jun 2011:

      I am not sure, although I have heard of stories of women who get pregnant using IVF having multiple births…

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