Bangladesh is projected to see a sharp rise in the rate of twin births over the coming decades even as the total number of babies born declines, according to a new study in Human Reproduction.
Researchers from the Max Planck Institute and Stockholm University found Bangladesh had a baseline twinning rate of 8.7 per 1,000 deliveries. That figure is expected to increase by 2050 and again by 2100 as more women delay childbirth, since older mothers are biologically more likely to conceive twins.
Yet the overall number of twin births is forecast to drop by about 20 percent by 2100 because fertility in Bangladesh is already below replacement levels.
Experts warn that higher rates of twin pregnancies could strain the health system, as multiple births carry greater risks of complications and neonatal deaths.