# Test tube babies.
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/test-tube-babies/244706
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [May 12, 2004, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/test-tube-babies/244706 "2004-05-12T00:00:53Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)
#### Post date: [May 12, 2004, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/test-tube-babies/244706/1 "2004-05-12T00:00:53Z")
With test tube fertilization doctors can create genetically identical embryos. Also doctors can freeze embryos for years, for implantation at a later date. This means we could have a pair of genetically identical siblingsborn several years apart.
Could you call such a pair _twins_?
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### Author:  [@Abbie\_Carmichael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abbie_Carmichael)
#### Post date: [May 12, 2004, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/test-tube-babies/244706/2 "2004-05-12T06:23:53Z")
Ok not a science person here so forgive me, but how can they make genetically identical embryos?
Can they force an egg to split?
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### Author:  [@Drizzt\_Do\_Urden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drizzt_Do_Urden)
#### Post date: [May 12, 2004, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/test-tube-babies/244706/3 "2004-05-12T10:03:29Z")
IANAD, but I don’t see why not. As long as they seperated the cell upon its first divide and immediatly froze one. However, this brings another question to mind. Is that all it takes to make twins?
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### Author:  [@Go\_You\_Big\_Red\_Fire\_Engine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Go_You_Big_Red_Fire_Engine)
#### Post date: [May 12, 2004, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/test-tube-babies/244706/4 "2004-05-12T10:25:26Z")
They’re not genetically identical. Being genetically identical would be pointless, because then what would be the point of creating serveral embryos because their faults are all going to be the same! And it’s a lot easier to create different embryos. After all, why didn’t they just clone ‘dolly’ by splitting an egg in two?
But they have cloned a monkey this way! [http://www.cnn.com/2000/NATURE/01/13/monkey.cloning/](http://www.cnn.com/2000/NATURE/01/13/monkey.cloning/)
> [@](#):
>
> After the embryo grows into eight cells, researchers split it into four identical embryos, each consisting of just two cells. … In the case of their experiment, three of the embryos didn’t survive. The technique also has been used to create clones of human embryos at least once. In 1993 Dr. Jerry Hall said he had cloned human embryos by splitting them, although he said the clones were destroyed.
IVF creates different embryos.
> [@](#):
>
> Twins born as a result of two embryos implanted are usually non-identical. However, in about 4% of cases they can be identical as one embryo may fail to implant, while the second divides into two.
[http://www.ivf-infertility.com/ivf/standard/complications/multiple\_pregnancy2.php](http://www.ivf-infertility.com/ivf/standard/complications/multiple_pregnancy2.php)
Oh and of course, cloning is ILLEGAL in most countries. And artificially splitting an embryo is ‘cloning’.
Cheers.
Engine.