Islamabad: About 1.6 percent of all births in Pakistan involve twins or higher order multiples, meaning roughly one to two out of every 100 babies born in the country are twins or more, according to a demographic analysis based on data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
The analysis, compiled through the Gallup Pakistan Digital Analytics Dashboard using the Pakistan Demographic Survey, shows that while twin births remain relatively uncommon, they occur at a steady and measurable rate across the country.
Given Pakistan’s large population and high number of annual births, even a small percentage translates into thousands of twin or multiple births every year, making them an important aspect of the country’s demographic and maternal health patterns.
The data also reveals provincial differences in the rate of twin births across the country.
According to the analysis, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has the highest proportion of twin births at about 2.4 percent, followed by Sindh at around 2.1 percent. Punjab records approximately 1.8 percent, while Balochistan has the lowest rate at around 1.6 percent.
Although these differences appear small in percentage terms, demographers say that when applied to millions of births, they reflect meaningful variations in population characteristics and maternal demographics across provinces.
One of the most important factors influencing twin births is maternal age.
The analysis shows that women aged between 35 and 44 years have the highest likelihood of giving birth to twins, with the incidence reaching around 2.7 percent in this age group.
In contrast, twin births are less common among younger mothers. Among women aged 15 to 24 years, the rate is around 1.4 percent, while women aged 25 to 34 years experience twin births in roughly 2.1 percent of cases.
This trend is consistent with biological patterns observed worldwide, where the probability of releasing more than one egg during ovulation increases with age, raising the chances of twin pregnancies.
The analysis also notes some variation in twin birth rates across maternal education levels and marital status, although these factors appear to have a smaller influence compared with age.
Experts say that while twin births account for a small share of total births, they are medically significant because multiple pregnancies often carry higher health risks, including premature birth, low birth weight and complications during pregnancy and delivery.
Understanding where and among whom twin births occur can therefore help health planners and policymakers improve maternal and newborn care services.
The findings are based on the Pakistan Demographic Survey conducted by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics and analysed through the Gallup Pakistan Digital Analytics Dashboard, which examines national data to identify demographic trends across the country.
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