The number of multiple births was falling in recent years, down to 17 per 1,000 total births a year ago, in the Czech Republic, according to the data from the demographic yearbook of the Czech Statistical Office (ČSÚ) released recently.

Since 1950, 21 quadruplets have been born in the Czech Republic. In 1974, there were even four of them and in 1959, 1987 and 2001 two in each of the years.

Since last year, the Czech Republic also has the first quintuplets.

Last year, 12 triplets were born. In 2012, there were eight of them, in 2007 a total of 22 and ten years ago, even 35, the record number since the mid-20th century.

The biggest number of twins, 2,446, were born in 2010, the smallest, 998, some 20 years ago.

Last year, the ČSÚ recorded 1,779 births of twins.

The number of multiplet births started rising in the first half of the 1990s.

In 1994, there were about 10 multiple births per 1,000 total births, but the figure rose to 17 some 10 years later.

The biggest number of multiple births was born from 2006 to 2010.

At that time, there were as many as 21 multiple births per 1,000 total births.

Experts say the growing number was due to the problems with fertility and more artificial insemination cases.

However, the proportion has been falling since 2010 again as doctors have been placing less inseminated eggs in women's bodies.

A law changing the rules of assisted reproduction has been valid since April 2012.

Health insurance companies cover four tries if only one embryo is used in the first two. However, they also pay for three tries if more embryos are used.

Source: Prague Post