The birth of multiple children is a rare and unique case, even though modern medicine makes it more possible. The infrequency of this phenomenon exists because the conception of several children at the same time is a rarity, and the bearing and birth of such children bring even more complications. The authors of the video In the Womb: Multiples examine in detail three unique cases of the birth of fraternal twins, triplets, and identical quadruples and explain all the stages of their development.
The structure of the video is created in such a way that all three stories alternate since it is important to explain the difference in the development of children in three different cases. In addition, the video has many detailed explanations about the typical stages of conception and the development of the fetus, which helps to understand the features of the miracle of human reproduction. The story begins with a description of the conception process, in which inside the fertilized egg, the division and growth of cells that later form the embryo and fetus begins (National Geographic; Stangor and Walinga).
Further, the authors explain the process of conception of several children with real examples. In the case of the identical quadruplets, the fertilized egg was divided into four equal parts, which developed as separate organisms (National Geographic). Non-identical twins are two different simultaneously fertilized eggs at the same time. The triplets are the result of a combination of both processes: one egg was divided into two identical parts, and the other was fertilized at another time. Thus, the viewer can see the difference and understand the features of different types of multiple conceptions.
Further, the authors of the video examine in detail the process of the formation of tissues and organs through all three trimesters. They also note that several fetuses in the womb fight for nutrition and the oxygen necessary for their development. Particularly intense competition occurs if they are in the same placenta (National Geographic). The video also discusses phenomena such as conjoint twins and vanished fetuses. The second case happens because one of the twins does not receive enough nutrition and disappears in the early stages of development (National Geographic).
The authors also demonstrate two theories of the formation of conjoint twins, the first of which implies that fertilized egg did not split entirely in the first stage. The second theory claims that the cells forming organs mixed up the body of one fetus with another and formed shared organs (National Geographic). The description of these cases helps to understand in more detail some features of the reproduction process.
In the final part of the video, the authors reveal the last weeks of fetal development and the birth process. This period is especially dangerous for multiple children in the uterus and their mothers, so it requires more attention. The viewer can see that the more fetuses are in the womb, the higher the risk of harm since they do not have enough space. For this reason, modern medicine conducts premature labor when babies gain sufficient weight and can function outside a mother’s body.
The video shows the natural birth of the twins at 38 weeks, which is possible due to health conditions. It also demonstrates the labor of triplets’ mothers at 32 weeks and quadruples at 29 weeks by cesarean section (National Geographic). In this way, all children were born healthy, although they had a small weight. After several weeks of development in artificial conditions, they reached a normal level of growth for infants.
In conclusion, this video demonstrates the miracle of multiple births from the scientific point of view by leading the viewer through all stages of the development of the babies. The authors show how many difficulties must be overcome to bring healthy children into the world and how modern medicine contributes to these processes. However, the greatest merit belongs to nature, which created a woman in such a way that makes such a miracle possible.
Works Cited
National Geographic. “ In the Womb: Multiples”. YouTube, uploaded by Ben Bird. 2014. Web.
Stangor, Charles, and Walinga, Jennifer. Introduction to Psychology. BCcampus, BC Open Textbook Project, 2019.