New demographic analysis reveals a notable disparity in multiple birth rates across Pakistan, with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reporting the highest incidence and mothers aged 35-44 being significantly more likely to have twins.
According to Gilani Research Foundation, survey report today, overall, the incidence of twin and higher-order multiple births in Pakistan stands at approximately 1.6% of all deliveries, meaning close to two in every 100 births involve more than one baby.
The findings were compiled and released by Gallup and Gilani Pakistan, the national affiliate of Gallup International, based on its analysis of the Pakistan Demographic Survey, which was originally conducted by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. The information has been visualized in the Gallup Pakistan Digital Analytics Dashboard.
A provincial comparison underscores these regional differences. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa”s twin rate is the highest at 2.4%, followed by Sindh at 2.1%. Punjab recorded an incidence of 1.8%, while Balochistan registered 1.6%.
Maternal age was identified as the most significant predictor of multiple births. The probability rises to approximately 2.7% for mothers in the 35-44 age bracket, a figure substantially higher than that for younger maternal age groups, a trend that aligns with established biological patterns.
While a mother’s educational level and marital status also showed some distributional differences, age remains the strongest demographic correlate in the data. The research underscores that such births, while relatively infrequent, are not uniformly distributed across the nation, with geography and maternal age playing measurable roles.