Marmalade House. Marmalade - recipes for making marmalade at home

Some women, looking at a family with twins, say with emotion: “I would like that too!” It is unlikely that they understand how difficult it is to raise and raise twins. However, many are trying to understand how and why twins are born, what contributes to this, and how you can become a mother of several children at once.

They still cannot understand why a fertilized egg, at the very beginning of its development, simply divides into two absolutely identical organisms with an absolutely identical set of genes. This is how the development of twins begins. With twins, everything is a little simpler. In this case, in female body Not one egg matures, as it should and is intended by nature, but two. If both eggs are fertilized, the development of two children - twins - begins. What is the difference between twins and twins, we have already told you before. Another question is why not one, but two eggs mature in the female body.

Scientists name quite a few reasons for this phenomenon. The main one is heredity. The next most common factor is the woman’s age and nationality. These are the main factors influencing the likelihood of multiple pregnancy. However, the likelihood of twins is also influenced by the number of previous pregnancies, taking hormonal medications before pregnancy, nutrition, and time of conception. The state of the environment and even the social status of the expectant mother can also have an impact. It has been noticed that twins are much more often born to representatives of lower social classes.

It is also worth noting that with IVF, the likelihood of having twins increases significantly, since during artificial insemination, not one egg is implanted into the uterus, but several at once. This increases a woman's chances of becoming a mother.

And now about everything in more detail.

So, the most important factor- this is heredity. If anyone in your family had twins, then the likelihood of a multiple pregnancy is much higher. At the same time, male heredity can also contribute to a woman’s multiple pregnancy. Most often, such heredity manifests itself after a generation or two.

The age of the woman is also important. So, at the age of 18, the chances of becoming a mother of twins are small - only about 0.27%. By age 25, this figure increases to 0.62%, but this is still very low. By age 35, the chance becomes about 1.48%. When a woman turns 35, the likelihood of having twins begins to gradually decrease. If by the age of 35 it grows to 1.48%, then by the age of 40 it is already 1.25%. That is, age, of course, has an effect, but not much.

Each subsequent birth increases the chance of having twins. After the second birth, the probability doubles, but if you give birth five times, the probability of a multiple pregnancy will increase 5 times.

It affects the birth of twins and nationality, but it is not yet clear how. It has been proven that the likelihood of multiple pregnancies among Nigerian women is 10 times greater than among Chinese women. In addition, it has been observed that black women are born with twins much more often than light-skinned women.

Scientists are trying to connect the birth of twins with a woman’s nutrition, but this is still a very poorly studied area, almost just guesses and assumptions.

Even the time of year can affect the conception of twins. So, the longer the daylight hours, the greater the likelihood of conceiving twins. For example, in Finland, most of such fertilization occurs in July - during the white nights.

Hormonal medications have a great influence on the likelihood of having twins. It has been proven that women who took 6 months or more before pregnancy contraception, much more often they give birth to twins. So, if pregnancy occurs within 2 months after stopping hormonal contraceptives, the chances of having twins double.

Pregnancy and the birth of a child are always a miracle, an extraordinary gift. And when two are expected at once? What about three? It is not for nothing that twins and their parents attract so much attention from others - sometimes enthusiastic, sometimes sympathetic. It's really a rare event. Twins make up about 2% of all births, while triplets make up only 2% of all twins. But before you become the happy owner of a double stroller, you need to go through long haul carrying a special, “non-standard” pregnancy.

Children born as a result of multiple pregnancies are called twins. In addition, you can often hear the word “twins,” which is colloquially used to describe “dissimilar” twins.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

There are two types of Geminis. Dizygotic (fraternal, non-identical) twins develop from two fertilized eggs. In some cases, the simultaneous maturation of two or more eggs occurs in one or both ovaries. There is a third possibility for the origin of fraternal twins; fertilization of two or more eggs matured in one follicle. Interestingly, sometimes the difference between the time of conception of dizygotic twins can be from several hours to several days. Dzygomatic twins are no more genetically similar than ordinary siblings; they are of the same sex and of different sexes with approximately equal frequency.

Monozygotic (identical) twins are produced when a single egg is fertilized by one sperm. Then the resulting zygote begins to divide as usual, the nose interesting feature; As a result of division, independent embryos are subsequently formed. The reasons for the development of this process have not yet been precisely established by science due to the complexity of the biochemical mechanisms that regulate cell division. Such twins are practically exact copies each other, although, of course, there are still minor differences between them. After all, different mutations can occur in the initially identical DNA of each embryo. The second reason for the differences is non-genetic influences, such as characteristics of the areas of the female uterus or the influence of other factors. Monozygotic twins are 5 times less common than dizygotic twins. Among monozygotic twins, boys predominate.

A separate topic is Siamese twins. This is what identical twins are called, varying degrees fused with each other. The supposed reason is the late splitting of the embryo into independent forms. The later this happens, the higher the risk. Siamese twins are extremely rare. They are born once in 10 million births.

Many twin conceptions do not result in birth. For every pair of twins born, there are 10-12 people who had a twin in the womb.

IS IT POSSIBLE TO PLAN FOR THE BIRTH OF TWINS?

Naturally - practically not. If pregnancy has already occurred and the woman knows about it, then in any case it is impossible to change the course of events by any means, because in the process of fertilization information about the future child is laid down, including whether there will be one or two.

But some factors still increase the likelihood of conceiving fraternal twins, while the likelihood of having identical twins is not associated with any hereditary or external factors and constant - on average 3 per 1000 pregnancies, that is, 0.3%.

So, in women aged 35-39 years, the likelihood of such conception increases. The fact is that during the late childbearing period, the concentration of a hormone in the female body increases, which stimulates the maturation of the egg. Thus, several eggs ready for fertilization can mature at once. It is also known that the production of this hormone is influenced by the duration daylight hours. Therefore, you are more likely to conceive twins in the spring, when the sun begins to warm up noticeably.

If there were already twins in the family, then the probability of giving birth to fraternal twins is higher, the closer the generation in which this happened. The tendency to give birth to fraternal twins occurs only in women. Men from such families can pass this property on to their daughters, although an increased incidence of twin births is not observed in the offspring of these men themselves.

More often than not, several eggs mature in women who have a short menstrual cycle- 20-21 days, as well as in women with abnormalities in the development of the uterus, for example, in the presence of a septum in the uterine cavity or a bicornuate uterus (pathology of the development of the uterus, in which the organ is not pear-shaped, but appears to be bifurcated).

IN last years for the treatment of infertility and others gynecological diseases Hormonal drugs began to be widely used to stimulate egg maturation and ovulation. As a result, a long-awaited pregnancy after many years of infertility often turns out to be twins or triplets! Successfully developing technologies of in vitro fertilization (IV) have also led to the fact that pregnancy with twins or triplets is no longer a rarity. Twins after IVF are always fraternal, often of different sexes, each with their own appearance and character.

The frequency of twin births is significantly higher during various social upheavals and wars.

WHEN CAN YOU FIND OUT ABOUT TWINS?

Fifteen to twenty years ago, people learned about twins only during childbirth or not earlier than the 20th week of pregnancy. When recognizing a multiple pregnancy, the following signs were taken into account.

The enlargement of the uterus during multiple pregnancy occurs faster than during pregnancy with one fetus, so the size of the uterus does not correspond to the duration of pregnancy. At the same time, the significant volume of the pregnant uterus does not correspond to the small size of the presenting fetal head. In addition, with twins, a deepening of the area of ​​the uterine fundus (saddle-shaped uterus) can be detected, the formation of which is associated with protrusion of the corners of the uterus by large parts of the fetus; as well as a longitudinal depression on the anterior wall of the uterus if the twins are in a longitudinal position, or the presence of a horizontal groove on the anterior wall of the uterus if the twins are in a transverse position. For a long time important for diagnosing twins was the clear identification in the uterus during an obstetric examination of three or more large parts of the fetus (two heads and one pelvic end or two pelvic ends and one head). The same great importance had presence in different places uterus two points of a distinct heartbeat.

Today, an ultrasound examination as early as the 5th week of pregnancy can indicate to the expectant mother how many babies should she expect? At the same time, the doctor on the screen identifies two “bubbles” of nascent life. It is interesting that such a finding for a woman who was hesitant between whether or not to have an abortion, in almost 100% of cases, inclines the expectant mother to continue the pregnancy. An experienced doctor, up to 14 weeks of pregnancy, can determine the type of twins (monozygotic or dizygotic) by the thickness of the septum between the “bubbles”.

To diagnose multiple pregnancies, phonocardiography is also used, with which it is possible to register the heart sounds of twins not only in recent months pregnancy, but also at 20-22 weeks and earlier.

PRICE OF DOUBLE JOY

As soon as the doctor antenatal clinic determines that the expectant mother is expecting twins, or even triplets, he classifies her as a pregnant woman with increased degree risk. This is because women with multiple pregnancies have a twofold or more increased risk of developing serious health problems compared to women who carry only one child.

Even with an uncomplicated multiple pregnancy, a woman may feel tired; Already in the second trimester, shortness of breath and rapid heartbeat appear. This difficulty in the activity of the heart and lungs is associated with a significant displacement of the diaphragm by the bottom of the uterus, the size of which in a multiple pregnancy is larger than in a single pregnancy, while the load on the heart muscle increases three to four times. During pregnancy with multiple fetuses, the risk of arterial hypertension increases - increased blood pressure, varicose veins and deep vein thrombosis are more often noted. Naturally, about professional physical activity, lifting serious weights is out of the question. Moderate exercise is ideal - walking fresh air, swimming. While sitting, it is better to place your legs on a special stand or low coffee table - this will serve as a preventive measure against varicose veins. A good bandage and special tights for “double” mothers are also a necessity. Fast growth The uterus can outstrip the skin's ability to stretch, so during multiple pregnancies, “stretch marks” (tissue tears) often form. Helps reduce their occurrence special means for skin care of the abdomen and thighs.

Women expecting twins often experience early toxicosis. This is due to the fact that the level of hormones in the blood is much higher than during normal pregnancy. In mothers with multiple births, such a formidable complication of pregnancy as gestosis occurs more often and is more severe - a condition in which all the organs and systems of the mother are affected, and the fetuses suffer. Preeclampsia is manifested by increased blood pressure, the appearance of protein in the urine, and swelling in the legs.

Toward the end of pregnancy, there is often an increase in the urge to urinate due to pressure from the uterus on the bladder. Pregnant women often complain of heartburn and constipation. The volume of the expectant mother's stomach decreases due to compression by the stretched uterus. For this reason, you should divide your meals into six small portions. Despite the small volumes, nutrition should be balanced. Each “excessive” baby should receive 300 kcal, additional protein and calcium. The expectant mother especially needs iron and folic acid, their deficiency leads to the development of anemia (decrease in the amount of hemoglobin) in the mother and oxygen starvation in children. In addition to diet, special vitamins for pregnant women and additional preventive intake of special iron supplements will come to the rescue. It’s good if you can keep your hemoglobin at least 110 g/l.

The most serious complication of multiple pregnancy is the risk of miscarriage. Double or even triple load on the uterus often leads to the fact that the uterine pharynx begins to open ahead of time. Sometimes, in order to carry a pregnancy to at least 36 weeks, it is necessary to resort to special devices that prevent the cervix from dilating, or to place a suture on the cervix, which is removed at 36-37 weeks. For the same purpose, the doctor may recommend that the expectant mother “rest” in the pregnancy pathology department at the maternity hospital at a time when miscarriages or premature births most often occur. You shouldn’t shy away from such an offer.

With fraternal twins, the frequency of intrauterine malformations is the same as with a singleton pregnancy, and with identical twins it is 2 times higher. The course of such a pregnancy is often complicated by growth retardation of one of the fetuses. The most pronounced degree of such a delay is observed in fetofetal blood transfusion syndrome (identical twins with the same placenta feed from each other). In this case, both lives are in danger. Usually the difference in body weight between twins is small and is about 200-300 grams. With fetofetal blood transfusion syndrome, this difference reaches a kilogram or more.

However, the vast majority multiple pregnancies proceeds safely until 37-38 weeks, when labor begins. Usually, doctors at this stage recommend hospitalization in a maternity hospital, the purpose of which is to examine the pregnant woman and determine the date and method of delivery.

Ekaterina Svirskaya, obstetrician-gynecologist, Minsk

Today, science knows almost everything about the processes that occur in a woman’s body after conceiving a child. The man's sperm fertilizes the egg and from that moment life develops in the woman's womb.

Why are twins born?

What explains the simultaneous birth of twins or more children? Nature is in no hurry to reveal its secrets, despite the fact that the mechanism of the process itself has long been known and well studied.

As for the birth of fraternal twins, it is clear that two eggs simultaneously leave the ovaries and are fertilized by different sperm. Their development ends with the birth of twins, that is, dizygotic twins. Such children may not be similar friend completely different from each other, and they can also be of different genders.

Many factors contribute to the maturation of several eggs at once, some of them have already been studied, while others are still under study. It is reliably known that the birth of twins is facilitated by the content of the hormone that stimulates egg production (FSH). The content of this hormone increases in women aged 35-40, so the likelihood of twins in such women is twice as high. A third of multiple pregnancies occur due to an artificial increase in the level of the FSH hormone as a result of infertility treatment.

According to statistics, twins are more often born to black mothers than to women with white skin, and least often to Asian women. There is also a genetic predisposition to having twins. The hereditary nature of a woman’s ability to produce more than one egg has been scientifically proven. Therefore, it is not surprising if twins are born in a family from generation to generation.

Birth of twins - some interesting facts:

1. Mothers of twins are heavier and taller than mothers who are carrying identical twins;
2. The birth of twins is also influenced by the nutrition of the expectant mother, the completeness and composition of her diet. Malnutrition reduces the likelihood of having twins. This fact can be seen in the statistics of countries where there were economic crises;
3. The environmental situation in the place of residence affects the content of toxins in environment and thereby reduces the number of pregnancies with twins, but some pollutants, on the contrary, can increase the likelihood of having twins.

According to research, most twins were conceived in July. This month has the longest day length. From this it follows that for conceiving twins, it is most suitable daylight hours days.

For marmalade we take juice with pulp, puree from children's jars, puree from frozen fruits and so on, the main thing is a natural, real, honest taste.
I have homemade apple juice and frozen strawberry puree, not sweet!!!

Place the juice on the stove and bring to a boil.
At this time, prepare the remaining ingredients.
Dilute citric acid in water (1 tbsp).
Mix sugar with pectin.
Pectin always goes together with sugar!!! This allows you to get rid of possible lumps.

When the puree begins to boil, pour in a rain of sugar and pectin mixture, while constantly stirring the boiling puree.

Bring the mixture to a steady boil and add glucose syrup.
If you don't have glucose syrup, you can use molasses, corn syrup or honey.
They help the marmalade to be elastic and soft.

Cook the mixture to 107 degrees. The process is simple, but quite long. Sometimes you will feel like the thermometer is broken or tired. In fact, everything is fine, it’s just that the mass takes a long time to boil. It took me about 8-12 minutes.

Do not forget to stir the mixture, but not fanatically, not constantly.
Wait for the temperature, pour in citric acid and stir.

I suspect that not everyone has a thermometer, but would like to prepare one.
Then an important test - drop a drop of marmalade mass onto a spoon (at the beginning of preparation, put the spoon in the freezer); if after half a minute the drop thickens and becomes marmalade, then it’s done.
If this does not happen, cook further.
In this photo you can see that the drop has spread and does not hold its shape!!!

In this photo, the drop has frozen and holds its shape, this is exactly what we need.

Immediately pour the finished mixture into a frame or other suitable container covered with film.
Approximate size 27x14 cm.
You can pour it into silicone molds and make portioned sweets.

We work quickly, as the marmalade sets quickly, in just 5-7 minutes the marmalade will become dense, but still hot.
Place the marmalade in the refrigerator and wait for it to cool completely.
Cut the marmalade into segments.

Throw the pieces into sugar, 5-6 pieces at a time, roll well in sugar, the main thing is not to let the “naked” pieces stick together.
I advise you to add 0.25 -0.5 teaspoon of citric acid to the sugar, if you like a good, confident sourness in combination with sweet marmalade.

Store marmalade in any dry place so that the sugar does not melt.
Marmalade can be stored for as long as desired.