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. 1:89N-1 (1:89
means 1 times in 89)
For twins, (N=2). So chance of twins is
1:892-1 = 1:891 = 1.123%
For triplets, (N=3) 1:893-1=
1:892= 1= 7921= 0.0126%
For quadruplets, (N=4) = 1:894-1=
1.893= 704969= 0.0001418%
For Undecuplets,(N=11)= 1:8911-1=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.