Twin births in the U.S. are on the decline

New data from the CDC suggest that the twin birth rate in the U.S. continues to be on the decline. Here’s more: 

• Overall trends: Although the twin birth rate was increasing slowly from 1980 to 2014, the rate declined by 1% per year between 2014-2018. 
• Birth mother trends: The older the mother, the higher the decline in twin births. Twin births among women ages 30-34 declined by 10% since 2014, while the rate declined by nearly 25% in those over the age of 40. 
• Trends by race: In 2014 and 2018, twins were most likely to be born to black mothers, followed by white mothers and then Hispanic mothers. White women, however, saw the biggest decline — 7% — in twin births since 2014.