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Ethnic group differences

The rates of non-identical twinning vary considerably between ethnic groups, while those of identical twins are fairly constant. Women of African origin are more likely to have multiple pregnancies than are Caucasian women, who in turn are more likely to have multiples than Asian women. This is not a recent phenomenon. The highest rate of twins in the world is among women of the Yoruba tribe in Nigeria. Even in countries with the most advanced medical management of multiples, there is still a hi in countries with the most advanced medical management of multiples, there is still a higher perinatal mortality of multiples and in countries like Nigeria the mortality is even higher. Over hundreds of years has developed the custom of the ibeji, wooden stylised images of the dead twin that are cared for within the family. So ethnic group differences in twinning rates have been around for a long time.