A new report from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) highlights a substantial decline in the rate of triplet and higher-order multiple births in the United States over the past 25 years. The study, published in October by NCHS researchers Joyce A. Martin, M.P.H., and Michelle J.K. Osterman, reveals that the rate of such births dropped dramatically from 1998 to 2023.

Analysing data from the National Vital Statistics System, Martin and Osterman found that the rate of triplet and higher-order births fell from 193.5 per 100,000 total births in 1998 to 73.8 in 2023. The most significant declines were recorded between 2009 and 2023, reflecting a broader shift in reproductive trends.

According to the study, the total number of triplet and higher-order births decreased from 7,625 in 1998 to just 2,653 in 2023. When broken down by demographics, the data shows a 71% reduction in these birth rates among White non-Hispanic mothers and a 25% reduction among Hispanic mothers. In contrast, Black non-Hispanic mothers experienced a 25% increase in triplet and higher-order birth rates over the same period.

The report also observed that triplet and higher-order birth rates declined across all age groups 20 and older, with the steepest decreases seen among mothers aged 30 and above.

“The triplet and higher-order birth rate declined 62 percent from 1998 to 2023; the number of triplet births declined by a similar amount (64 percent), and the number of quadruplet and higher-order births declined by more than three-quarters (79 percent),” the authors noted in their findings.

This trend reflects changing fertility practices, including advancements in assisted reproductive technologies and shifts in family planning choices, likely contributing to a reduced incidence of higher-order multiple births in the United States. The findings provide valuable insight into evolving birth patterns and underscore the influence of medical, social, and demographic factors on reproductive outcomes.