Bledidoc Answers

How often do twin births occur?

The birth rates of fraternal (dizygotic) twins vary by population throughout the world as the number of twin births has jumped more than 75 percent in the past 30 years and now the stats show that there are about 33 twins born per every 1,000 births. However, the chances of having identical twins are moderately rare around 3 or 4 in every 1,000 births. This implies that the birth of identical twins is a random event that is not induced by genes or environment.^1,2

Many factors influence the increase in multiple pregnancies. The principal causes are advancing maternal age and infertility treatments. As women get older, their chance of having multiple births doubles. Women between 20 and 24 years of age have twins at the rate of approximately 22.4 per 1,000 live births, whereas women between 40 and 44 years have twins at the rate of 51.3 per 1,000 births.³

Dr Khalil Osta

Assistant professor of clinical pediatrics at HHUMC

¹https://wstwinregistry.org/2015/10/01/how-often-do-twin-births-occur/

²https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/chances-of-having-twins

³https://pedsinreview.aappublications.org/content/28/3/e9#:~:text=Monochorionic%2Fmonozygotic%20twins%20occur%20in%20approximately%201%20of%20every%2010%2C000%20pregnancies.

Other Drs' Advices

Which is more common, fraternal or identical twins?

Naturally, twins occur in about 1 in 250 pregnancies. Birth rate of identical twins is the same all over the world: It is 4/1000 births. It is a random event, and it is not influenced by race, age,…

Are there more male twins or female twins?

Among non-twin births, males are slightly (about 5 per cent) more common than females. In the US, 105 non-twin males are born for each 100 non-twin females. However, males are slightly more likely…

If I am a twin, do I have an increased chance of having twins?

A twin from monozygotic twinning (identical twins) does not usually have an increased chance of having twins. To note that recently, there is some evidence that monozygotic twinning may run in…

1https://wstwinregistry.org/2015/10/01/how-often-do-twin-births-occur/

2https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/chances-of-having-twins

3https://pedsinreview.aappublications.org/content/28/3/e9#:~:text=Monochorionic%2Fmonozygotic%20twins%20occur%20in%20approximately%201%20of%20every%2010%2C000%20pregnancies.

¹https://wstwinregistry.org/2015/10/01/how-often-do-twin-births-occur/

²https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/chances-of-having-twins

³https://pedsinreview.aappublications.org/content/28/3/e9#:~:text=Monochorionic%2Fmonozygotic%20twins%20occur%20in%20approximately%201%20of%20every%2010%2C000%20pregnancies.