She Had Twins at 30, Now Another Set of Twins After 10 Years
“Ten years after the birth of my first set of twins, one of each this time… I feel incredibly fortunate and overjoyed that someone as small as me has been blessed once again. I can’t contain the joy welling up inside me. Please, put this message out to all the women out there who believe and are waiting for such miracles. My joy knows no bounds. God has been with me, the children of my old age. At 30, I had twin boys, and at 40, I am having one of each. Thank you, heavenly Father,” expressed Margaretha.
Margaretha, a woman hailing from the Yoruba tribe in Africa, has recently welcomed twins. In the Yoruba culture, the arrival of twins is a cause for celebration and is considered a joyful occasion. Among the Yoruba people, who trace their origins to Nigeria, the occurrence of twin births is relatively common.
Twins, the birth of two offspring from the same pregnancy, are relatively uncommon and are often considered special. The global rate of twin births varies significantly by region and country. Latin America and Southeast Asia have the lowest rates, with approximately 9 sets of twins for every 1,000 births.
In Europe, the figure stands at around 16 twins for every 1,000 births, while in the United States, it’s approximately 33 twins for every 1,000 births.
In central Africa, this number increases to approximately 18 to 30 sets of twins for every 1,000 births.
Moreover, in Yorubaland, a specific town seems to claim the title for the highest concentration of multiple births globally. Igbo Ora, a quiet agricultural town situated 80 kilometers from Lagos, undoubtedly earns the distinction of being the twin capital of the world. While the exact figures are unconfirmed, estimates from the town suggest an astonishing 158 sets of twins for every 1,000 live births.
At the town’s entrance, visitors are greeted by a prominent monument celebrating its reputation as “the land of twins.”
While there is no empirical explanation for the high incidence of twin births in the town, experts in fertility within the Yorubaland region suggest a possible reason for the elevated occurrence of multiple births might be linked to the consumption of a specific type of yam containing a natural phytoestrogen. This compound is believed to stimulate a woman’s ovaries to release eggs from each side.
Nonetheless, the locals and residents of Igbo Ora insist that the secret behind their multiple births lies in their dietary staples, which include the leaves of an okra plant and yam.