In the US, the number of triplet births has changed a lot over the years. It went up a lot in the 1980s. Then, between 1998 and 2023, the number of triplet and higher-order births dropped by almost 65 percent.
Quadruplet and higher-order births fell even more, by about 80 percent. This decline is a good thing because multiple births can be risky for mothers and babies.
Many factors caused this change. Better fertility treatments now help couples have babies safely. Also, people are having children at older ages.
In the past, doctors often transferred many embryos to increase the chance of pregnancy. Now, they usually transfer only one or two embryos. This helps keep mothers and babies healthier.
Experts say that fewer multiple births are a result of new recommendations and better medical practices. As of 2020, over 80 percent of embryo transfers in the US involved just one embryo.
The CDC has a report about this topic, which you can read here.
Vocabulary List:
- Triplet /ˈtrɪp.lɪt/ (noun): One of three offspring born at the same birth.
- Quadruplet /kwɒdˈruː.plɪt/ (noun): One of four offspring born at the same birth.
- Decline /dɪˈklaɪn/ (verb): To decrease or diminish in quantity or quality.
- Embryo /ˈɛm.bri.oʊ/ (noun): An early stage of development for a fertilized egg before it becomes a fetus.
- Recommendations /ˌrɛk.ə.menˈdeɪ.ʃənz/ (noun): Suggestions or proposals for the best course of action.
- Fertility /fərˈtɪl.ɪ.ti/ (noun): The ability to conceive and bear children.
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