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In Europe and America, there is a large increase in the appearance of twins due to modern reproductive techniques. PHOTO: Pixabay
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For the last 30 years the growth in Europe is by 60%, and in North America – by 71%
More twins are being born now than ever before, and the phenomenon may have peaked, scientists say. Every year, 1.6 million twins appear in the world, and every 42nd child has his or her own brother or sister, the BBC and the Guardian newspaper reveal.
Subsequent motherhood and the development of in vitro medical techniques have led to a third increase in the number of twins born since the 1980s. According to a study published in the journal Human Production, the birth rate of twins has increased in all regions of the world over the past 30 years – growth is 32% in Asia, 60% in Europe and as much as 71% in North America. The researchers collected information from 165 countries in the period 2010-2015 and compared the data with the period 1980-1985.
The births of twins are
jumped
sharpest in
rich countries
in Europe and North America, but also globally, they have grown by a quarter – from 9 per 1000 to 12 per 1000. In Africa, many twins have always appeared naturally and the situation has not changed much in the last 30 years mainly due to population growth.
Currently, 80% of twins are born in Asia and Africa, and there is a reason for this, says Professor Christian Mondon, author of the study from the University of Oxford. The high rate in Africa, he said, is due to the fact that
they are born there
mainly dizygotic
twins
– babies born from different eggs. “This is probably due to the genetic difference between the African population and other types of population on the planet,” said the professor.
Twins are born naturally when the fertilized egg divides spontaneously into two, leading to the development of identical twins, or when the mother’s body separates two fertilized cells at the same time, and then identical twins are born.
In recent decades, countries in Europe, North America and Oceania have caught up with this type of birth, but the reason is mainly due to the development of reproductive methods such as in vitro fertilization, ICSI-fertilization, egg stimulation and others. They all increase the likelihood of having at least two babies.
The choice of women to start families late, the increased use of contraceptives and the decrease in fertility are the reasons for resorting to these medical techniques more and more often.
The mothers of
age between
35 and 39 years
most often give birth
twins,
shows modern statistics.
However, the focus is increasingly on stimulating the birth of a baby, which is much less risky, the study said.
“This is important because the birth of twins is associated with higher mortality among babies and young children, as well as greater complications for mothers and babies during pregnancy, immediately before and after birth,” said Professor Mondon. The twins are often premature and underweight, he added.
The study also found that in low- and middle-income countries, the chances of the twins surviving are uncertain. Especially in tropical Africa, about 200,000 children lose their twin brother or sister within the first year. According to Professor Jeron Smith, co-author of the study, the situation in the Western world is quite different. Although the number of twins there is almost equal to that in tropical Africa, their chances of survival are much higher. In the future, the regions that will be of great importance for the growth of the twins are China and India, scientists say.
According to them, the latest data show that in many countries there has been a plateau and even a reversal of the curve.
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