Sharing our village with you
For its 2017 Awareness Week, Multiples NZ (MNZ) is celebrating and acknowledging the extensive support networks that
support its community of parents of with twins and triplets.
MNZ President Ainslee Jacobson says that “our community of parents could not get through the early years of raising
twins and triplets without extensive and robust support networks. That is what we are recognising and celebrating for
our 2017 Awareness Week. We are grateful for the people and organisations that make those years easier.”
“At MNZ we know that there are diverse and complex networks supporting our families with multiples and more. From parent
support groups, grandparents, extended whanau, friends, nannies, schools, Mid-wives, volunteers, and those wider
connections you develop while raising multiples.”
“Beyond that we are a supported by a range of health and social service providers. We also want to acknowledge the vital
importance of these networks to the success of the MNZ network.”
This year our multiples community is celebrating its awareness week from the 5th -11th November 2017. Our community is
celebrating with an array of great events: www.multiples.org.nz.
ABOUT MULTIPLES NZ
Multiples NZ is the national body that represents 14 (plus including Triplets Plus) local Multiples Birth Clubs,
consisting of over 1500 families throughout New Zealand. We aim to provide education, support and advocacy to these
families, by providing guidance and resources to their local multiples birth clubs, and via our own channels.
Statistical Highlights
According to Statistics NZ the numbers of multiples born in New Zealand in 2016:
• There were 810 sets of twins born in 2016 (note this includes stillbirths). This is lower than
2015 (828 sets) but total births were also down.
• 6 sets of triplets - Triplet numbers were lower than they have been for a very long time at
only ~6 sets due to the new rounding system. There were 14 sets in 2015.
• Multiple births accounted for 1.38% of all births (1.39% in 2015).
• Stillbirths were a lot higher than 2015
ABOUT MULTIPLES NZ
Multiples NZ is the national body that represents 14 (plus Triplets Plus) local Multiple Birth Clubs, consisting of over
1500 families throughout New Zealand. We aim to provide education, support and advocacy to these families, by providing
guidance and resources to their local multiple birth clubs, and via our own channels. For more information visit www.multiples.org.nz.
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