Private MD News

Rate of twin births increases

Category: Infertitlity Hormone Testing

Following FSH testing that reveals fertility problems, many women undergo in vitro fertilization. While this may dramatically increase a woman's odds of conceiving, officials say it is also contributing to a rise in twin birth rates.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently released a report that indicated the number of twin births increase by 76 percent between 1980 and 2009. The increasing popularity of fertility treatments, which often lead to multiple births, was cited as a primary factor in the growing rate of twin births.

The report also indicated that many women are waiting to become pregnant, which may contribute to the high rate of twin births. Previous studies have shown that the older a woman is when she conceives, the more likely she is to have twins.

The findings have important implications, as twin births typically require higher medical spending. This may be a considerable contributor to rising health costs, as least pertaining to childbirth.

With the advent of FSH testing and fertility treatments, women have many new options for conceiving these days. However, researchers are only beginning to gauge the implications of these approaches.