It's a curious thing, isn't it? How deeply ingrained traditions, even those we've long since abandoned, can leave their mark on the present. When we look at Africa today, we see a continent where twins are a growing part of the demographic landscape, yet their survival rates, particularly in the first year of life, remain a concern. Twins are significantly more likely to die than singletons, a stark reality that has prompted researchers to dig into the historical roots of this disparity.
What they've uncovered is a fascinating, and at times unsettling, chapter of history: the practice of twin infanticide. For centuries, in roughly a quarter of ethnic groups across sub-Saharan Africa, twins were tragically not welcomed. This wasn't a matter of simple preference; it was a deeply embedded cultural norm. Yet, the question that arises is whether this dark past continues to cast a shadow on twin survival today.
Interestingly, a recent deep dive into this very question, merging historical records of twin infanticide with modern birth data from 23 African countries, reveals something quite unexpected. Despite the widespread historical practice, the research suggests that past twin infanticide doesn't appear to predict greater differential twin mortality in the present. It’s as if the societies, through a combination of internal shifts and external influences – from missionaries to colonial governments – managed to suppress these harmful traditions.
However, the study also points to a nuance: where these suppressing forces were weaker, there's a hint of a lingering impact. This suggests that while the direct act of infanticide may have ceased, the cultural attitudes and societal structures that supported it might have had more persistent, albeit indirect, effects in certain regions.
The researchers meticulously examined this through various lenses. They looked at the overall population, focusing on the mortality difference between twins and singletons. They also employed a 'border sample,' comparing communities living near each other but separated by historical practices, and even a specific sample of twins themselves. Across all these approaches, the evidence for a direct, lingering legacy of infanticide on current twin mortality was notably absent.
This is a powerful testament to the capacity for cultural evolution. It shows that societies can indeed shed deeply entrenched customs and that institutions and socialization play a crucial role in shaping new norms. The absence of a direct link between past infanticide and present-day twin mortality doesn't erase the historical tragedy, but it does highlight the resilience and adaptability of human societies in moving towards more inclusive and life-affirming practices.
