HC Deb 14 October 1996 vol 282 cc746-7W
Mr. Wigley

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many sets of(a) twins, (b) triplets, (c) quadruplets, (d) quintuplets and (e) sextuplets were born in Northern Ireland in each year since 1990; how many maternities there were in each year; and how many multiple births in each category were conceived as a result of (i) in vitro fertilisation, (ii) gamete intra-fallopian transfer and (iii) other forms of assisted conception. [39970]

Mr. Moss

The information requested is set out in the table.

Type 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 11995
Set of:
(a) twins 267 315 258 308 303 324
(b) triplets 5 6 8 9 6 7
(c) quadruplets — — — — — 2
(d) quintuplets — 1 — — — —
(e) sextuplets — — — — — —
IVF2
(i) twins 12 11 n/a n/a n/a n/a
(ii) triplets 2 1 n/a n/a n/a n/a
GIFT3
Maternities 26,338 26,058 25,425 24,729 24,119 23,663
1 Provisional.
2 These figures are as result of IVF by year of conception.
3 Gamete intra-fallopian transfer (GIFT) was available in Northern Ireland only in 1986 and 1987.
n/a = not available.