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9/20/2013

Topic Reading-Vol.527-9/20/2013

Topic Reading-Vol.530-9/20/2013
Dear MEL School’s Topic Readers,
Vegas mom gives birth to quintuplets in Arizona.
First, this headline is a bit confusing unless you’re familiar with the names of the cities in the U.S. and also the terms used for multiple birth. “Vegas” is Las Vegas, Nevada, and “quintuplets” means five offspring, so it reads like, “A mother who lives in Las Vegas, Nevada gives a birth to five babies in the state of Arizona.”
Second, how rare is it to have quintuplets? The frequency of multiple births from natural pregnancies in the U.S. has been about 1:80N-1 (1:80 means 1 time in 80), or 0.00092% traditionally. So, having quintuplets sounds quite rare, doesn’t it?
Lastly, what are the terms for multiple birth? They are:
Two offspring – twins
Three offspring – triplets
Four offspring – quadruplets
Five offspring – quintuplets
Six offspring – sextuplets
Seven offspring – septuplets
Eight offspring – octuplets
Nine offspring – nonuplets
Ten offspring – decaplets
Eleven offspring – undecaplets
Twelve offspring – duodecaplets
Enjoy reading and learning the challenges of the already-big-family and the terms for multi-birth.


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