Which term refers to the fertilization of two eggs by different sperm leading to twins?

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The term that refers to the fertilization of two eggs by different sperm, resulting in twins, is recognized as dizygotic twins. This scenario occurs when a woman releases two eggs during her menstrual cycle, and each egg is independently fertilized by its own sperm. Consequently, dizygotic twins are genetically similar to each other as regular siblings, sharing approximately 50% of their DNA.

Dizygotic twins can happen in cases of fraternal twins, which are the most common type. They can be of the same sex or different sexes. This differentiation from other types of twins is critical in understanding human development and genetics.

In contrast, monozygotic twins arise from a single fertilized egg that splits into two embryos, resulting in genetically identical individuals. The term "caesarian twins" is not standard within the context of multiple births and can be misleading, while trizygotic twins refer to the occurrence of three separate eggs being fertilized, which is less common and not relevant to the question posed about twin formation.

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