Rare “Big Twins” Born in North Carolina

by Susan M. Heim

When my twins were born at 7 pounds, 13 ounces, and 6 pounds, 9 ounces, I was told that they were very large for twins. After all, more than half of all twins are born before 36 weeks (an "average" singleton pregnancy is 40 weeks), and therefore twins are usually on the small side. But my twins now seem like "preemies" compared to the Maynard twins of North Carolina. Sean William and Abigail Rose had a combined weight of 23 pounds, 1 ounce at birth on June 20, 2008. Abigail weighed 12 pounds, 3 ounces, and Sean weighed 10 pounds, 14 ounces. Surprisingly, though, they aren't the biggest twins on record. A pair of twins was born in Arkansas in 1927 with a combined weight of 27 pounds, 12 ounces! The Maynard twins are both healthy and doing well after their Caesarean section birth.

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