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Is premature births for twins a thing?

More than 50% of twins are born before due date.
Is premature birth common for twin babies?
Is premature birth common for twin babies?

Early this week, news hit the internet that the Jay Z family has added two new members. Beyonce had popped with two beautiful babies. Unfortunately, it was way before their due date.

The question is, is this common for twins or multiple babies?

According to March of Dimes, more than 50% of twins, 90% of triplets and virtually all quadruplets and above are born preterm or before the 37th week of pregnancy.

The earlier the birth, the greater the risk of complications for the babies.

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Worldwide, a lot of technological advancement has been made in the medical sector but as such, there has been an increase in the number of premature births, making it the leading cause of newborn deaths and second leading cause of death in children under the age of five.

One in ten infants worldwide is born prematurely.

For some families,  premature birth only means a few days of hospitalization, for others, it means a prolonged stay or lifelong consequences.

This is determined by the time of birth, babies born closer to their due date are less likely to have major problems as their organs have had a longer time to develop.  Premature births affect all important organs in the body. This is because the womb offers a healthy environment for babies to grow as they are not ready for the harsh outside world.

After the initial critical phase of survival is complete, the full consequences of premature birth may be still unknown. A research done in 2008  raised alarms about increased problems for prematurely born babies in their lifetime.

The study concluded that prematurely born babies are more likely to die during childhood, less likely to have children of their own as adults and significantly less likely to finish high school or complete college.

However, it is important to put into perspective that this research did not incorporate the advanced technology that is assisting prematurely born babies now. It also did not include twins or other multiple babies.

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