(image: Pixabay)
SEOUL, Aug. 10 (Korea Bizwire) — The birth rates of twins in South Korea has risen over the last 40 years.
Prof. Heo Yoon-mi from Kookmin University conducted an analysis of birth rates of twins or triplets between 1981 and 2019, which showed that the birth rate went from five twins per 1,000 people in 1981 to 22.5 in 2019.
One in every 22 newborn babies is a twin, while 18 are fraternal twins.
South Korea, which traditionally had low birth rates of twins, has recently doubled in terms of giving birth to twins compared to the average birth rate of twins worldwide (12 per 1,000).
The birth rate of triplets, too, jumped by a factor of 10 in 2019, compared to the 1980s.
The rising birth rate of triplets was most vividly observed among women between 30 and 39 years of age.
The rising birth rate of twins was attributed to higher education of women, birth delays due to late marriage, expansion of assisted reproductive technology, and improving treatments for subfertility.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
