Constant multiple birth rates in the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic until recently, 1972–1995

Abstract

Using vital statistics, yearly changes in the twinning and triplet rates by zygosity were investigated in the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic during the period 1972–1995. Monozygotic (MZ) twinning rates in both countries had remained nearly constant (about 3 per 1000 total births) during that period. With a few exceptions, the dizygotic (DZ) twinning rates remained constant from 1972 to 1994, and increased in 1995 for both countries. MZ twinning rates for both countries were the lowest in Europe. As for triplet rates, overall rates increased significantly year by year in the Czech Republic, but not in the Slovak Republic. The triplet rate was significantly higher in 1995 than in the period 1972–1982 for both countries. The MZ triplet rate remained constant during that period in the Czech Republic. The trizygotic (TZ) triplet rates increased 3-fold for the Czech Republic and 4-fold for the Slovak Republic in 1972–1976 and 1992–1995. In the later period, the TZ rate was 1.5-fold higher in the Czech Republic than in the Slovak Republic. The quadruplet rate increased 2.3-fold from 2.9 per million births in 1982–1986 to 6.7 in 1992–1995 in the Czech Republic. The corresponding values were 2.7, 2.20 and 5.9-fold in the Slovak Republic. Both the Czech and the Slovak Republics were not affected by fertility drugs and assisted reproductive techniques until recently.