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Statistical Analyses of Twins Birth Data from a Nigerian Sample
Author(s) -
Lawal H. B.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
biometrical journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.108
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1521-4036
pISSN - 0323-3847
DOI - 10.1002/bimj.4710310215
Subject(s) - contingency table , statistics , logistic regression , ordinary least squares , mathematics , perinatal mortality , infant mortality , medicine , demography , pregnancy , population , fetus , environmental health , sociology , biology , genetics
In this paper, both the linear logistic model and its analogous linear model (weighted least squares) are fitted to twin birth data from a Nigerian sample. The logits of the observed perinatal mortality rates are fitted against the birthweight of breech infants for both first born and second born twins. Results show that a quadratic response model fits the data very well, and that the WLS procedure gives a better fit. The results further show that breech births necessarily result in 7.7% and 11.2% mortality rates respectively for first born and second born twins. The results of a log‐linear model analysis on the 2×2×4 contingency table formed by the factors, ‘mode of birth’, and twins with the response variable ‘Apgar Scores’‐an index of morbidity‐also show that both factors play significant roles in explaining the variation of the response variable. It was found that the most important factor effecting the ability of a twin infant to survive as measured by the Apgar scores is the variable ‘mode of birth’ (vertex or breech). In other words, a vertex first twin infant has the best survival chance.