Frequency of twinning in Kwara State, North-Central Nigeria

Abstract EN

Background : Twin birth prevalence varies widely among the world population.

Several factors such as genetic, maternal, socio-economic and environmental have been implicated in its incidence.

Although these factors are still the subject of a number of investigations variations do exist in the reported incidence of twinning across the world.

There is limited information on the frequency of twinning in Kwara state, North Central Nigeria.

Aims : This study aims to determine the frequency and prevalence of twinning in Kwara state of the North Central Nigeria.

We wish to update the current knowledge on the trend and frequency of twinning in North-Central Nigeria and thereby contributing to the demographic studies in the country.

Subjects and methods : We carried out an 11-year retrospective study on the incidence of twin births between 1998 and 2008.

Data were collected from the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin (UITH), Omosebi Hospital, Ilorin (OHI) and Erinle General Hospital, Erinle (EGHE) all in Kwara state, North-Central Nigeria.

These data were pooled together and analyzed by year and maternal age groups of 15–19, 20–24, 25–29, 30–34, 35–39, 40–44, and 45–49 years according to the standard method.