Multiple births
- Twins made up 3.5% of all births in 2003-2004 compared with 2.3% in 1985. In 2004 there were 1,123 sets of twins, the highest number since the beginning of the VPDCU.
- The number of sets of triplets peaked in 1995 (29 sets) and has declined to 16 sets in 2004.
- Approximately 28% of twin births are to women aged 35 years and older compared with 21.6% of singletons.
- 6.1% of singleton births are pre-term (<37 weeks) compared with 51.6% of twins and 100% of triplets.
- 28.3% of singleton pregnancies are delivered by caesarean section, compared to 69.6% of twin pregnancies.
4.1 Numbers
Table 4.2: Trends in Multiple Births, 1985-2004
|
Year
|
Twins*
|
Sets
|
% of all Births
|
Triplets*
|
Sets
|
% of all Births
|
Quads*
|
Sets
|
% of all Births
|
|
1985
|
1,390
|
695
|
2.3
|
33
|
11
|
0.1
|
4
|
1
|
0.0
|
|
1990
|
1,649
|
824.5 @
|
2.5
|
69
|
23
|
0.1
|
4
|
1
|
0.0
|
|
1995
|
1,850
|
925
|
2.9
|
87
|
29
|
0.1
|
0
|
0
|
0.0
|
|
2000
|
1,903
|
951.5 #
|
3.0
|
63
|
21
|
0.1
|
0
|
0
|
0.0
|
|
2001
|
1,974
|
987
|
3.2
|
72
|
24
|
0.1
|
8
|
2
|
0.0
|
|
2002
|
2,144
|
1,072
|
3.4
|
57
|
19
|
0.1
|
0
|
0
|
0.0
|
|
2003
|
2,212
|
1,106
|
3.5
|
54
|
18
|
0.1
|
4
|
1
|
0.0
|
|
2004
|
2,246
|
1,123
|
3.5
|
48
|
16
|
0.1
|
0
|
0
|
0.0
|
@First twin born 1990, second twin born 1991
#First twin born 1999, second twin born 2000
- There has been a gradual increase in the proportion of twins born from 2.3% of all births in 1985 to 3.5% in 2004.
- The number of triplets peaked in 1995, with 29 sets, and has dropped to 18 sets in 2003 and 16 sets in 2004.