Social Cost of Twin Births

Abstract

This study analyzes costs for neonatal care and costs for care of handicapped children related to twin pregnancies and births. These costs are highly related to the unfavorable birthweight distribution for twins. Each twin pregnancy may cost 10 times more than a single pregnancy. This economic analysis favors all kinds of preventive policies and a calculation is proposed for measuring the probable effect in costs of even a slight decrease in the proportion of very low and low birthweight for twins.