Scott County siblings among rare spate of Blessing Hospital twins
PROTECTED CONTENT
If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.
Username and Password Help
Please enter your email and we will send you a password reset link.
By DAVID CAMPHOUSE
Submitted photo
Four families had twins at Quincy’s Blessing Hospital during the week of April 7. New Winchester parents Alyssa and Taylor Moore, were among the recipients of a set of twins at Blessing during that unique week. Left to right are the Rost, Moore, Ortega-Mangan and Childs families who all had their twins the week of April 7 at Blessing Hospital.
Four families had twins at Quincy’s Blessing Hospital during the week of April 7.
New Winchester parents Alyssa and Tyler Moore, were among the recipients of a set of twins at Blessing during that unique week. Alyssa Moore is the former Alyssa Heavner, of Pittsfield, daughter of Jason and Lisa Brockhouse Heavner, also of Pittsfield. Jeff and Lisa Moore of Winchester are the paternal grandparents.
According to department nurse manager Callie Asmann that many twins being born in a week is an extremely rare event, and the only time that has occurred in her memory.
“This was a rare and memorable occurrence for us, and the atmosphere has been full of energy and celebration,” Asmann said.
“We are honored to be part of these families’ journeys and proud of our amazing team for the exceptional care they provide every day. It was a fun and heartwarming week here at Blessing Hospital.”
The special deliveries of five girls and three boys included on April 7 Taylor and Alex Rost of Paloma, Illinois, and sons Lain Alexander Rost and Kaden Christopher Rost; April 8 Brenna and Trenton Childs of Quincy and daughters Eliot Brooke Childs and Esten Mabel Childs; and on April 10 Amanda Mangan and David Ortega of Quincy and daughters Luna Blake Ortega and Rosalia Faye Ortega; and Alyssa and Taylor Moore of Winchester, Illinois, and son Brenner Tyler Moore and daughter Breckyn Ann Moore.
Last year nearly 1,160 babies were born at Blessing Hospital.
The latest definitive American birth-rate data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is from 2023, and the report of that data shows that the prevalence of twin births in the country is on the decline.
According to CDC, the 2023 twin birth rate was 30.7 twins per 1,000 births, a 2% decline from the 2022 rate of 31.2 and the lowest rate reported in more than 20 years. The twinning rate (births in twin deliveries per 1,000 total births) rose 76% from 1980 to 2009 (from 18.9 to 33.2 per 1,000), was generally stable from 2009 to 2012, and then rose for 2013 and 2014 before declining 8% from 2014 to 2020.
The CDC report goes on to report that the largest decline in multiple births is among white women. Twin birth rates were unchanged from 2022 to 2023 for Black (41.4) and Hispanic (24.5 to 24.3) women but declined 3% for White women (32.6 to 31.7). Triplet/+ birth rates were also essentially unchanged for Black (108.7 to 108.9) and Hispanic (61.3 to 56.6) women from 2022 to 2023 but declined 10% for White women.
