Twin birth rate rose 76% from 1980 through 2009

huntertwin · January 2012

"Researchers say that the uptick in twin births is due to both the increased use of infertility treatments and the tendency for women to delay child-birth till they are older ... Ultimately older moms are only responsible for one third of the increase in twins, Martin said. The rest of the surge is due to increasing use of infertility therapies like in vitro fertilization."

https://vitals.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/04/9949222-seeing-double-number-of-twins-in-us-spikes

Sidenote: I didn't know "twinning" was a word!

CourtneySue · January 2012

Of course twinning is a word!! Charlie Sheen has twins!! He He!!

leapgirl8 · January 2012

I'm always surprised that these articles always mention IVF as a multiples factor, but rarely mention Clomid and other fertility drugs that people use with IUIs. Clomid is so widely used by REs.

cookiemonster03 · January 2012

I vaguely remember our RE telling us that (at least for their clinic) multiples were less common with IVF than IUI. Articles never talk about non-IVF forms of ART.

everam01 · January 2012

Also, people seem to assume that higher order multiples usually result from IVF. As far as I can tell HOM are much more likely with IUI than IVF.

The article didn't address the rise in rates of fraternal twins vs rise in identical twin rates. The writer seemed to assume identical twins were on the rise more than fraternal, but ART (if it results in multiples) usually results in fraternals.

I did know that there were certain factors that are supposed to make FRATERNAL twins more likely and that it included age, being overweight and even being taller than average. The explanation of older mom equals weaker eggs more likely to split could be feasible, but I was told that older moms equals harder working ovaries and therefore more likely to produce two eggs.

huntertwin · January 2012

everam01:
Also, people seem to assume that higher order multiples usually result from IVF. As far as I can tell HOM are much more likely with IUI than IVF.
The article didn't address the rise in rates of fraternal twins vs rise in identical twin rates. The writer seemed to assume identical twins were on the rise more than fraternal, but ART (if it results in multiples) usually results in fraternals.
I did know that there were certain factors that are supposed to make FRATERNAL twins more likely and that it included age, being overweight and even being taller than average. The explanation of older mom equals weaker eggs more likely to split could be feasible, but I was told that older moms equals harder working ovaries and therefore more likely to produce two eggs.

Really? I had no idea height could be a contributing factor. I'm 5'9 and DH is 6'1 so that might explain ours..

huntertwin · January 2012

CourtneySue:
Of course twinning is a word!! Charlie Sheen has twins!! He He!!

Lol!

hunt2005 · January 2012

I wonder if it is also due to increased medical care abilities. Like, less reduced multiple pregnancies because carrying twins and triplets isn't quite as risky as it was 20-30 years ago, and then an increase in the pregnancies being viable and delievered successfully.

I agree with the previous statements about multiples and ART techniques, though. IVF has more of the twin increase, I'd think, but for HOM I would think Clomid, IUI, other injectibles, etc would be more contributing factors as not many IVF docs will put back more than one or two eggs.

everam01 · January 2012

I thought this article was good:

https://www.thetech.org/genetics/ask.php?id=86

It discusses factors that statistically increase your chances of having fraternal twins.

ETA: Interestingly, I have a lot of the mentioned traits that make spontaneous multiples more likely - over 30, overweight, and most importantly I had fertility problems and during my testing I found out my FSH level was high. However, I'm barely taller than average (5'6") and this was my first and only pregnancy.

volgirl123 · January 2012

hunt2005:

I wonder if it is also due to increased medical care abilities. Like, less reduced multiple pregnancies because carrying twins and triplets isn't quite as risky as it was 20-30 years ago, and then an increase in the pregnancies being viable and delievered successfully.

I agree with the previous statements about multiples and ART techniques, though. IVF has more of the twin increase, I'd think, but for HOM I would think Clomid, IUI, other injectibles, etc would be more contributing factors as not many IVF docs will put back more than one or two eggs.

Good comments! You must be a left brain person ;-)

Mrs. Alice · January 2012

hunt2005:

I wonder if it is also due to increased medical care abilities. Like, less reduced multiple pregnancies because carrying twins and triplets isn't quite as risky as it was 20-30 years ago, and then an increase in the pregnancies being viable and delievered successfully.

I agree with the previous statements about multiples and ART techniques, though. IVF has more of the twin increase, I'd think, but for HOM I would think Clomid, IUI, other injectibles, etc would be more contributing factors as not many IVF docs will put back more than one or two eggs.

Good point! Sadly, I don't know if my twins would have made it 30 years ago without all the modern fetal monitoring, ultrasound technology, neonatology, and just general knowledge that medicine has now.

togagirl · January 2012

I think it's great. It makes me happy to know of all the women (like myself) that couldn't conceive that can now have babies. I am a great mom and I can't imagine having to live my life without kids and I am so glad modern medicine could help me have a family. DH has an aunt that has no children and although it's never talked about, sometimes I can just tell when she watches all the little kids playing that she wishes she had babies. So sad.

It also makes me sad to think of all of the women who can't get pregnant even with help.

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