American women having more twins
The number of twins born in the U.S. reached an all-time high in 2013, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
Out of every 1,000 babies born that year, more than one-third (33.7) were twins. This was the highest rate ever recorded in the U.S., and two percent higher than the report from 2012. In contrast, birth rates among women in their 20’s have hit an all-time low, and teen pregnancies have dropped 10 percent. C-sections and births by unmarried women also showed a decrease, according the report on U.S. births.
Due to improved technology in fertility treatments, the number of twin births jumped 76 percent between 1980 and 2009 before leveling out. Then it jumped again in 2013. The researchers also noted that more women are postponing having babies until after they're 40, which increase the chances of multiple births.
The rate of triplet births, however, continued to drop due to advances in fertility treatments that mean fewer embryos are needed to help women become pregnant.
Researchers added the decreased rate of pregnancy among teens is most likely due to an increase in educational school programs and teen pregnancy shows.
Overall, there were 3.9 million babies born in the U.S. in 2013, a drop of one percent from 2012. Results for 2014 births will be released in the next few months.