Identical Triplet Sisters

A multiple birth results when more than one human baby is born from a single pregnancy.

Classification

The most common form of multiple birth is twins (two babies), but cases of triplets (three), quadruplets (four), quintuplets (five), sextuplets (six), septuplets (seven), octuplets (eight), and nonuplets (nine) have all been recorded with all siblings being born alive. There have been pregnancies — but no known instances of live births — of decaplets (ten), undecaplets (eleven) or duodecaplets (twelve). Fraternal twin boys in the tub The term twin most notably refers to two individuals (or one of two individuals) who have shared the same uterus (womb) and usually, but not necessarily, born on the same day. ... A triplet is a set of three items, and includes in particular: one of three babies in a multiple birth a preparation of opal as a gemstone, with a thin layer of opal backed with a dark material and covered with cap of clear quartz in poetry, a tercet (three... For information about actual quintuplets, see multiple birth. ... Identical Triplet Sisters A multiple birth results when more than one human baby is born from a single pregnancy. ... Nonuplets are a case of multiple birth, in which the mother gives birth to nine offspring. ...

There are two types of multiple births, fraternal and identical. Identical siblings arise where one egg is fertilised and the resulting zygote splits into more than one embryo. Identical siblings therefore have the same genetic material. Fraternal siblings result from the fertilisation and implantation of more than one egg, so fraternal siblings are not genetically identical. A human ovum An ovum (also oocyte, ovocyte, or loosely, egg or egg cell) is a female sex cell or gamete. ... A zygote (Greek: ζυγωτόν) is a cell that is the result of fertilization. ...

Causes and frequency

Multiple births can occur either naturally (the woman ovulates multiple eggs or the fertilized egg splits into two) or as the result of infertility treatments (several embryos are usually implanted to compensate for their lower viability). Infertility is the inability to naturally conceive, carry or deliver a healthy child. ...

In general, twins occur naturally at approximately the rate of 1/89 of singleton births, triplets at 1/89 the rate of twin births, and so on (Hellin's Law). However, for reasons that are unknown, the older a woman is, the more likely she is to naturally have a multiple birth.

The number of multiple births has increased over the last decades. For example, in Canada, between 1979 and 1999, the number of multiple birth babies increased 35%. Much of the increase can probably attributed to the impact of fertility treatments, such as in vitro fertilisation. Younger patients who undergo treatment with fertility medication containing FSH followed by intrauterine insemination are at particular risk for multiple biths of higher order. Canada is a sovereign state in northern North America, the northern-most country in the world, and the second largest in total area. ... In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a technique in which egg cells are fertilized outside the mothers body in cases where conception is difficult or impossible through normal intercourse. ... Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) is a hormone produced by gonadotropes in the anterior pituitary gland. ... Insemination is the introduction of semen into the genital tract of a female. ...

Risks

Recent increases over the last few years in the number of multiple births have also provoked concern over the risks to the fetus and also to the mother.

The greater the number of babies in a single pregnancy, the more likely they are to have a low birth weight, to be born prematurely and to consequently suffer medical problems. For example, in 1999, 53% of babies in multiple births were premature, compared to 7% of singletons. [1]  (http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/011210/d011210b.htm) There is also a higher rate of stillbirths for multiples than for singletons. The expected result of pregnancy is the birth of a living child. ...

Virtually all obstetrical risks are increased for the mother during a pregnancy with multiples. As many multiple pregnancies today are the result of the use of fertility therapy, efforts are being made to reduce the risks of multiple pregnancy, specifically triplets or more, by limiting the number of embryos (embryo transfer) during IVF to 1 or 2. Also, methods are availabe to reduce the number of fetuses in a pregnancy with many (see fetal reduction). Selective reduction (or fetal reduction) is the practice of reducing the number of fetuses in a multifetal pregnancy (i. ...

Cultural aspects

Certain cultures consider multiple births a portent of either good or evil. A North Korean tradition that states that triplets are 'lucky' has led to the seizure of all sets of triplets born in North Korea, apparently out of leader Kim Jong Il's fear that one may overthrow him in the future. North Korea, officially the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK; Korean: Chosŏn Minjujuŭi Inmin Konghwaguk; Hangul: 조선민주주의인민공화국; Hanja: 朝鮮民主主義人民共和國), is a country in eastern Asia, covering the northern half of the peninsula of Korea. ... Kim Jong-il (born February 16, 1942) has been the leader of North Korea since 1994. ...

List of famous multiple births

• The Dionne quintuplets (born on May 28, 1934 near Corbeil, Ontario, Canada) were the first quintuplets known to survive their infancy.
• The Rosenkowitz sextuplets (born on January 11, 1974 in Cape Town, South Africa) were the first sextuplets known to survive their infancy.
• The Walton sextuplets (born on November 11, 1983 in Liverpool) were the first sextuplets born in the United Kingdom known to survive their infancy.
• The Frustaci septuplets (born on May 21, 1985) were the first septuplets to be born in the United States. Only three babies survived.
• The Dilley sextuplets (born on May 25, 1993 in Indianapolis) were the first surviving sextuplets to be born in the United States.
• The McCaughey septuplets (born on November 19, 1997 in Des Moines, Iowa) were the world's first surviving set of septuplets.
• The Humair septuplets (born on January 14, 1998 in Abha, Saudi Arabia) were the world's second surviving set of septuplets, born to a 40-year-old mother.
• The Chukwu octuplets (born in December 1998 in Houston) were the first set of octuplets born in the United States. The smallest of the octuplets, Odera, died a week after birth.
• The Qahtani septuplets (born on July 12, 2001 in Washington, DC) were the third set of septuplets to live past infancy.
• The Dahm Sisters were the only Playboy triplet centerfolds.

The Dionne Quintuplets (born on May 28, 1934) are the first quintuplets known to survive their infancy. ... May 28 is the 148th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (149th in leap years). ... Corbeil, Ontario is a small town on the La Vase River east of North Bay, Ontario. ... Canada is a sovereign state in northern North America, the northern-most country in the world, and the second largest in total area. ... The Rosenkowitz sextuplets were born in Cape Town, South Africa, on January 11, 1974. ... January 11 is the 11th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... The central area of Cape Town as seen from Table Mountain. ... November 11 is the 315th day of the year (316th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 50 days remaining. ... This article is about the city in England. ... May 21 is the 141st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (142nd in leap years). ... For other uses, see United States (disambiguation) and US (disambiguation). ... The Dilley sextuplets were the first surviving set of multiple births in the United States. ... May 25 is the 145th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (146th in leap years). ... The Indianapolis skyline Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana. ... The McCaughey septuplets (Natalie, Joel, Kenny, Nathan, Brandon, Kelsey and Alexis McCaughey) are the worlds first surviving set of septuplets. ... November 19 is the 323rd day of the year (324th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... The State Capitol of Iowa, featuring its golden dome. ... January 14 is the 14th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a country on the Arabian Peninsula. ... The Chukwu Octuplets were a set of octuplets born in December 1998 in Houston, Texas. ... Houston redirects here. ... July 12 is the 193rd day (194th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 172 days remaining. ... Categories: People stubs | 1977 births | Playboy Playmates ... Playboy is an adult entertainment magazine, or pornography magazine, founded in 1953 by Hugh Hefner, which has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc. ...

Fictional multiple births

• In the television series The Simpsons, Apu and Manjula Nahasapeemapetilon had octuplets: Anoop, Uma, Nabendu, Poonam, Pria, Sandeep, Sashi, and Gheet (also known as Lincoln, Freedom, Condoleezza, Coke, Pepsi, Manifest Destiny, Apple Pie, and Superman). They were a result of an overdosage of fertility drugs.
  • The record was soon broken by a couple with nonuplets in Shelbyville, the archenemy of Springfield.
• In the television series Quintuplets, there are five children born simultaneously: Parker, Pierce, Patton, Penny, and Paige.
• In the movie Raising Arizona, the plot is largely driven by the protagonists' kidnapping of Nathan Arizona, Jr., one of a set of quintuplets.
• Among Disney characters, multiple births seem to be rather common. Donald Duck's nephews, Huey, Dewey and Louie are triplets; and so are Daisy Duck's nieces, April, May and June. Mickey Mouse's nephews, Morty and Ferdie Fieldmouse, are twins, as are Tweedledee and Tweedledum from Disney's Alice in Wonderland based on the Lewis Carrol stories. Even the Beagle Boys have a set of triplet descendants, the Beagle Brats.

The Simpsons. ... Apu Nahasapeemapetilon Apu Nahasapeemapetilon (sometimes spelled Nahasapeemapetilan) is a fictional character featured in The Simpsons television series. ... Springfield is the fictional city where the TV series The Simpsons is set, founded by Jebediah Springfield, located near Shelbyville. ... Springfield is the fictional city where the TV series The Simpsons is set, founded by Jebediah Springfield, located near Shelbyville. ... Raising Arizona is a quirky, offbeat, and humorous 1987 Coen Brothers film starring Nicolas Cage and Holly Hunter. ... Disney - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... Huey, Dewey and Louie Duck are fictional characters of the Scrooge McDuck universe, Donald Ducks three almost identical nephews. ... Daisy Duck is one of Walt Disneys cartoon and comic book characters. ... April, May, and June Duck are a trio of Walt Disneys comic book characters. ... Mickey Mouse is a fictional character, a comic animal cartoon character who is perhaps Walt Disneys most famous creation. ... Morty and Ferdie Fieldmouse are Mickey Mouses nephews in the fictional Mickey Mouse universe. ... Alice in Wonderland is the widely known and used title for Alices Adventures in Wonderland, a book written by Lewis Carroll -- as well as several movie adaptations of the book -- and is also the setting for several short stories. ... Photograph of Lewis Carroll taken by himself, with assistance Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (January 27, 1832 – January 14, 1898), better known by the pen name Lewis Carroll, was a British author, mathematician, Anglican clergyman, logician, and amateur photographer. ... A Beagle family photo, as seen in DuckTales. ... The fictional characters The Beagle Brats are a younger version of The Beagle Boys. ...

See also

• List of famous trinities, trios, triplets, or threesomes

The following is a list of famous famous trinities, trios, troikas, triumvirates, triplets or threesomes--groups of three people (living, dead or fictional), places, or things, unless identified otherwise. ...

External links

• Articles on multiple births (http://multiples.about.com/cs/supertwins/)
• Six and more (http://mypage.direct.ca/c/csamson/multiples/worldsextuplets.html)

Reference

• "Korea's 'lucky' triplets seized," article in Herald Sun newspaper (Australia), March 30, 2003.