Nothing to say, yet
Transcription
The podcast episode is about the history and study of multiples. The host, who is a part of a set of quadruplets, shares their personal experience growing up as multiples. They discuss the commonality of multiple births and the different chances of having twins, triplets, or quadruplets. The host also explores the history of multiples, from ancient times to the present day. They explain the difference between fraternal and identical multiples and the factors that can increase the chances of having multiples, such as heredity, age, and race. Hello everybody and welcome to the History and Study of podcast. Today we're diving deep into the history and study of multiples. In this episode we will learn about the history, science, data, and realities of multiples as we explore all that goes into having a built-in best friend or two. I hope you'll stick around as we pore over all that's entailed in being a multiple and how that relates to you as well as my own personal experience on this topic. Join us as we continue our series covering the history and study of multiples. Today's topic is near and dear to my heart as I myself am a multiple. I'll start with my own personal ties to the subject and why I believe this is such a fascinating topic to study no matter who you are. So I have an older sister and I myself am a part of a set of all-girl quadruplets. Growing up as one of five girls was one of my favorite parts of childhood. Every day was pure joy and chaos. We are all very close and share a unique bond. The five of us grew up very tight-knit but it definitely helped to have an older sister who paved the way. After my sister went off to college it was just the four of us at home for a couple years. Once the four of us split off for college my parents house definitely got quiet. My older sister and one of the quads go to the same University in our hometown while the other two quads go to the same University together in Denton, Texas. Meanwhile I am studying here at the University of Arizona. It was certainly a challenge going to college and being so far apart but we are definitely still very close. While of course my mom was not planning on having quadruplets, I think she was born to be a quad mom. You might have seen shows such as OutDaughtered or John and Kate Plus 8 or even 19 Kids and Counting but what you might not know is that sets of multiples like these are actually more common than you think. About 97% of multiple births are twins, however your chances of having triplets are only 1 in 7,000. Quadruplets are about 1 in 700,000 to 1,000,000 and quintuplets are about 1 in 60,000,000. While this might not seem very likely, I personally know at least three other sets of quadruplets just in my hometown. In fact the first ever babysitting gig I got was for a family that my mom came to know who also had a set of quadruplets and an older toddler. When that mom found out she was pregnant, my mom was sort of a guide for her on life with quadruplets and a toddler. Later in my teen years another set of quadruplets was born that I helped babysit and I'm still close with. While it's been really fun having a unique family and sharing my viewpoint, you might be wondering how does this relate to me? Maybe you're just curious to learn more about an unfamiliar topic. Maybe you're inquisitive about your twin cousins or perhaps you're interested in the likelihood of having your own set of multiples one day. Either way, let's begin with a history and study of multiples. The earliest known record of multiples dates to about 31,000 years ago after the excavation of an upper Paleolithic site in Austria which uncovered the remains of twin boys. In ancient times the birth of twins or multiples was regarded as supernatural or of witchcraft, while at other times they were believed to symbolize the dualistic nature of the universe, the opposing spirits of good and evil. Today the record for most babies born during one birth is nine. Born in 2021, the world's first set of surviving non-uplets were born in Morocco. While there are many different ways that multiples are born, the most common is fraternal twins which depend on genetics, whereas identical twins do not. Only about one-third of all twins in the world are identical. If you or members of your family are multiples, you are more likely to have multiples. This is, in most cases, due to genetic hyperovulation, a requirement to have fraternal multiples. While you can try to have multiples intentionally through fertility treatments, it's unlikely and the most common way that multiples form is when multiple eggs are released and fertilized by multiple different sperm, resulting in fraternal multiples. Identical multiples occur when an egg splits during fertilization and is fertilized by one sperm. Occasionally, as seen in some cases of triplets or quadruplets, one egg can split and be fertilized by one sperm, resulting in two identical babies, while another egg, which is fertilized at the same time, remains separate, resulting in two identical triplets or quadruplets and one or two fraternal. Fraternal multiples are multi-zygotic, while identical are monozygotic. The average gestation for a twin pregnancy is about 35 and a half weeks. Triplets are about 33.1 weeks and quadruplet pregnancies 28 to 31 weeks, all opposed to the typical 40 weeks. My mom had a same-gender, multi-zygotic, 31-week pregnancy after developing preeclampsia, with each of us born just under three pounds and two months in the NICU. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, the birth rate for multiples has risen since 1980, but has slowed down since 1998. So, what factors could increase your chance of having multiples in the future? While many factors are linked to having a multiples pregnancy, the most common naturally occurring factors include heredity, or your family's history of multiples, which, as mentioned, raises your chance of having multiples. Age also plays a role in your chances of having multiples. People assigned female at birth who are older than 30 have a greater chance of having a multiples pregnancy. For me, my mom was 33. Your past pregnancy status also increases your chances. Having one or more previous pregnancies, especially a multiples pregnancy, raises your chances. My mom was actually pregnant with twins when she had my older sister, but the boy twins sadly passed away late-term. Interestingly enough, your race plays a role in your odds. African-American people assigned female at birth are more likely to have twins than any other race. Asian-Americans and Native Americans have the lowest rates for twins or multiples. White people assigned female at birth have the highest rate of higher-order multiple births, or triplets or higher, which is especially true for those over 35.
