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Giving Birth to a child can be hardworking and challenging, having twins and multiple births are double the work and it can be a very difficult transition. Your pregnancy will be very exhausting and time consuming, and when your babies are born, it will be another period of plenty of trials and some tribulations.
Researches have shown that the number of twin births have more than doubled since the early 1970s. Today, about one of every 35 births in the United States is twins. Even more significant, the number of triplet and multiple births are higher and have increased 200 percent over the last three decades.
The most obvious reason for the growing birth rates of twins and multiple births is the use of fertility drugs and treatments, these medical interventions are most often the reason for births of four or more multiples. Recent studies from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) show that approximately 43 percent of live births resulting from assisted reproductive techniques were multiples.
Researches made show that where you live could make a difference when conceiving twins or multiples. For example, a study by the National Center for Health Statistics found that the rates for twin deliveries were as much as 25 percent higher than the overall national rate, if you reside in Massachusetts or Connecticut. And if you want to give birth to triplets, move to Nebraska or New Jersey, because both states have a percentage of triplets that is twice the national average.
On the other hand, if you reside in tropical Hawaii your chances of having multiples will decrease to about 30 percent below the overall U.S. rate. Apparently, the time of year and the number of daylight hours also has an impact on multiple births. More fraternal twins are conceived in July than in any other month, while January has the fewest twin conceptions. Scientists speculate that this is probably due to the longer length of daylight in July, which allows for a higher secretion of the Follicle Stimulating Hormone in women.
Some say that enhanced medical care and good nutrition may increase multiple birth rates; although experts may caution directly linking these influences is difficult. A curious fact is that access to modern medicine is not a deciding factor; for instance, the Yoruba tribe of Nigeria has the highest twinning incidence in the entire World, and these people attribute it to their consumption of a specific type of yam. Scientists have discovered that these vegetables that are contain a high level of a substance similar to the hormone estrogen, which could result on multiple ovulations.
Surprisingly, woman’s age is another favorable factor when it comes to conceiving twins. Traditionally older women have a higher chance of delivering fraternal twins, with the odds increasing to one in 27 when the mother is 35 years or older.
Another point is while identical twins have no familial connection, it is commonly said that fraternal twins run in the family. Female fraternal twins score an impressive one in 17 chance of giving birth to their own set of fraternal twins, probably because many carry a gene for hyper-ovulation, which means they sometimes release more than one egg during ovulation. And, if a woman has already given birth to fraternal twins, the chance of another set increases fourfold.
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