More Twin Pregnancies? It's Not Just IVF

Twin Pregnancies Over 40, Not Just Age or Fertility Treatments

Most people automatically assume that the rise in twin pregnancies is due to the rise in the number of couples using assisted reproduction to conceive.
 However, according to the article below, the increase in twin pregnancies may also be because women in general are producing healthier embryos due to better nutrition. Read more:


The belief that IVF is behind the steady increase in the numbers of twins born over the past thirty years was challenged yesterday by a scientist speaking at the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology conference. Professor Robert Jansen, Medical Director of Sydney IVF in Australia, said that his research had shown that improved nutrition, both maternal and in the lab (in the case of IVF), was producing better and stronger embryos.

See My Series On Foods For Fertility (www.getpregnantover40.com)

"Over the last 100 years there has been an increase in identical twinning through the division of the embryo into two, even without IVF", said Jansen, "and with the move to single embryo transfer with IVF this trend is obviously set to continue." He added that the present rate of identical twinning with IVF is between one-in-a-hundred and one-in-fifty, a little over twice the rate involved when getting pregnant naturally. 
from: 
aphroditewomenshealth.com

Pregnancy Outcomes Good Age 45 and Older

Getting Pregnant At 45 And Older - Good Outcomes

I have cited a study below which concludes that pregnancy in "older" women has generally good outcomes for mother and baby.
See More Articles On Pregnancy Over 40 at: www.getpregnantover40.com

 The study states that this is reassuring for women age 45 and older. Read more:

RESULTS: Seventy-seven pregnancies in 76 women aged 45 years and over were registered in the 10-year period. There were 74 liveborn singletons, two sets of liveborn twins and one set of twins stillborn at 20 weeks' gestation. Sixteen women were primiparous. Eighty-four percent of pregnancies were conceived naturally and 53% underwent prenatal chromosomal determination; 53% of women had no pre-existing medical problems, 13% had hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and 8% of women developed gestational diabetes. There were 10 preterm and six post dates deliveries. The Caesarean section rate was 49%, compared to 23% in the 20-29 years age group (P < 0.001). Ten percent of neonates were small for gestational age, and 8% were large for gestational age. Seventeen percent required admission to the special care nursery and 6% had congenital abnormalities.

CONCLUSIONS: Maternal and neonatal outcomes in this series were generally good. There was a significantly increased rate of Caesarean section. Overall, this study is reassuring for women aged 45 and over who have good general health and a chromosomally normal fetus.
from:  
NIH.gov