What are the top health research priorities for twins and multiples?

In this world-first initiative, twins and multiples had the opportunity to steer future twin and multiple-birth health research in the direction that matters to them. They completed a survey to help clinicians and researchers to identify the top research priorities for twins and their families to enjoy optimal health and wellbeing.

In 2019, ICOMBO launched the Global Twins and Multiples Priority Setting Partnership  along with Twins Trust, and St George’s University of London.  This initiative seeks to identify the top 5-10 priorities for research into twins’ and multiples’ health. Ultimately, our aims are to save lives and to improve long-term health outcomes for multiples.

We believe there is insufficient attention given to the specific health needs of multiple-birth families even though the number of multiple births has increased over time.

It is important that decisions about future research priorities don’t rest with researchers or government funding bodies alone. Our partnership wishes to hear the voices of all stakeholders in multiple-birth care – twins, higher-order multiples, their parents and families, GPs, obstetricians, paediatricians, midwives, maternal health nurses and educators. Please contact chair@icombo.org for further information.