MOST CHILDREN DELIVERED IN SINGLE BIRTH, NEW WORLD RECORD

MOST CHILDREN DELIVERED IN SINGLE BIRTH, NEW WORLD RECORD

PROF WAQAR HUSSAIN

        

    Multiple births are a rare but common phenomenon. Sometime, more than one child are born, this is called multiple birth.  Multiple births mean giving birth to 2 or more children. The nomenclature depends upon number of used off springs: if two (twins); three (triplets); four (quadruplets); five (quintuplets); six (sextuplets); seven (septuplets); eight (octuplets); nice (nonuplets); ten (decuplets); eleven (undecuplets); etc. When an egg of female combines with a sperm of male; a zygote is formed which develops to a child. Sometime, multiple children are born.  There are two types of offspring depending on the mode of production; identical and non identical twins. Sometime single zygote (fertilized egg) split into two or more embryos which are identical(monozygotic)  and have same genetic makeup and same sex. Sometime, they are so identical face that it becomes hard even for mother to identify between her babies. 

    Non-identical twins (polyzygotic) are produced when many eggs are released in ovary and each egg is fertilized separately to form many siblings, which are not genetically alike.

    There is an interesting formula to estimate the chance of number of multiple siblings. The frequency of N multiple births can be calculated approximately by Hellin’s law i.e. 1:89^N-1   (1:89 means 1 times in 89)

For twins, (N=2). So chance of twins is 1:89^2-1 = 1:89¹ = 1.123%

For triplets, (N=3) 1:89^3-1= 1:89²= 1= 7921= 0.0126%

For quadruplets, (N=4) = 1:89^4-1= 1.89³= 704969= 0.0001418%

For Undecuplets,(N=11)= 1:89^11-1=1:89¹⁰ =1:890000000000=0.00000000001123%

    Multiple births can happen for many reasons:

 1) Genetically: If mother gives birth to twins, it is likely hood that her daughter will do the same. My mother gave birth to non-identical twins and my eldest sister also gave birth to non-identical twins. But it is an approximation, not a definite formula.

2) Infertility treatment often leads to multiple twins. Fertility drugs can result in formation of multiple eggs.

3) Older women (above 35) are more likely to give birth to many children. It is because of increased level of follicle stimulating hormone in older ladies.

    Number of multiple births has increased over the last decade. For example, Canada has recorded 35% increase in number of multiple births. It is due to enhanced use of fertility drugs.

        

    Previously, the highest medically recorded number of children born at a single birth is nine to Geraldine Brodrick (Australia) at the royal Hospital for women, Sydney NSW, Australia, on 13 June, 1971. None of the children (five boys [two stillborn] and four girls) lived for more than six days.

           Now in the month of June 2015, Cette Jennie, an Indian women gave birth to 11 babies.The Corp medical Indian has box this delivery.Thus , this Indian lady broke the previous record of 9 babies born in single birth.