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Multiple birth deliveries are associated with higher average hospital charges. Why? A key reason is multiple gestations (twins, triplets, etc.) are associated with an increasing risk of preterm birth. In Hawaii, the rate of preterm birth in women carrying a single baby was about 6% during 2007. In comparison, 31% of women carrying twins delivered preterm babies; for a woman carrying triplets, the likelihood she would deliver a preterm baby was close to 70%! Premature deliveries are associated with an increasing need for intensive care and longer length of stays, resulting in more expensive medical care.*
*Data source: HHIC Inpatient Data, 2007.
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