Record-Breaking Year: Over 14,000 Multiple Births Registered in Just 9 Months!
In a remarkable development, the Iranian Civil Registration Organization has reported that within the first nine months of the current Iranian calendar year, a total of 14,090 multiple births occurred across the country. This significant number highlights the growing trend of multiple births in Iran, which includes twins, triplets, and even higher-order multiples.
According to the organization, the breakdown of multiple births is as follows:
- Twins: 13,565
- Triplets: 504
- Quadruplets: 19
- Higher-order multiples: 2
The provinces leading in multiple births include Tehran with 2,127 cases, followed by Khuzestan and Khorasan Razavi with 1,207 and 1,186 cases, respectively. Overall, a total of 734,249 births were registered during this nine-month period, indicating that approximately 4% of these births were multiple deliveries, equating to 28,728 babies.
In terms of general birth statistics, Tehran province recorded the highest number of births at 89,325, while Ilam province had the lowest with 4,963 births. Notably, more than 36.8% of the total births were second-born children, while first-born children accounted for 36%.
The registration of births continues to show distinct patterns:
- Second-born children: 36.8%
- Third-born children: 18.7%
- Fourth-born children: 8.5%
As for the previous Iranian calendar year (March 2023 – March 2024), the Civil Registration Organization reported a total of 1,057,948 births registered across the nation. The majority of these births were second-born children, numbering 405,993.
Tehran province once again led with the highest number of births at 131,176, while Semnan province had the fewest at 6,907. Among the registered births, a slight majority were boys, accounting for 51.8%, compared to 48.2% girls.
In the first ten months of the previous Iranian calendar year, the total of 33,080 multiple births was recorded, with twins representing the majority at 31,320 cases. The province of Tehran accounted for 14.7% of these multiple births, while Semnan province had the lowest at 0.5%.
Looking back to the previous year, the data shows a significant number of multiple births during the first nine months:
- Twins: 28,148
- Triplets: 1,506
- Quadruplets: 64
- Higher-order multiples: 10
Interestingly, the trend of births indicates a slight dominance of boys over girls, with over 51.8% of the newborns being male.
Population Aging Trends in Iran
In addition to birth statistics, significant insights into the aging population in Iran have also emerged. The latest census indicates that the number of elderly citizens is growing at a rate of 3.62%, which is five times faster than the overall population growth rate of 1.24%.
As of the Iranian year 1385 (2006-2007), there were approximately 5,121,043 individuals aged over 60. By 2015, this demographic constituted 10% of the nation’s population. Projections suggest that by 2050, the population aged 60 years and older will account for a staggering 32% of the total population, effectively meaning that one-third of Iran’s population will be elderly.
Currently, individuals aged over 60 make up about 11.5% of Iran’s population. This demographic shift poses significant challenges for the country.
According to officials, Iran’s total fertility rate is currently around 2.5, with projections suggesting a population of 102,890,000 in the next seven years. However, the fertility rate has stabilized at approximately 1.6 over the past two years, raising concerns about the potential for Iran to become one of the oldest countries in the world.
These demographic trends highlight both the challenges and the opportunities that lie ahead for Iran, particularly in the realms of healthcare, social services, and economic planning.
In summary, the Iranian Civil Registration Organization’s data sheds light on the country’s evolving birth rates, the notable prevalence of multiple births, and the pressing issue of an aging population, all of which are critical for future policy and planning.
