[boiler_up800]

Congrats to him. I’ve seen stats that somewhere between 30-50% of all twins are born through IVF. So technically not a huge surprise on that result.

A little surprised on the 50% death rate for children before the age of 5 in 1800. It’s amazing how recent that is.

[PeterisP]

I kind of treat 1800 as old enough that I'm not surprised, but for me it's surprising to look at the huge 27% children death rate that we still had in 1950, as it's amazing how recent that is.

[loeg]

Keep in mind that was a global average in 1950. In the US it was like 3%.

[jefftk]

> I’ve seen stats that somewhere between 30-50% of all twins are born through IVF. So technically not a huge surprise on that result.

It sounds like you think this was an IVF pregnancy? But Scott says it wasn't: https://www.astralcodexten.com/p/in-the-long-run-were-all-da...

[Auracle]

Even if it wasn’t IVF they may have done other fertility increasing treatments, such as using Clomid and then possibly doing IUI.

[Vecr]

It's possible he's not honest about that sort of detail. He's done it in the past.

[jefftk]

That would be a surprising thing to lie about!

[kqr]

> I’ve seen stats that somewhere between 30-50% of all twins are born through IVF. So technically not a huge surprise on that result.

This sounds like some sort of confusion of the inverse.

The fact that most twins are borne through IVF does not imply that any conceptiin (assisted or not) can expect twins. They are still rare in both cases.

[Cthulhu_]

Just look at how much health care has improved since then though; back in 1800, while the existence of bacteria was known, their role in infections and the importance of sanitation wasn't known or acknowledged until 1859, and doctors only started to sanitize their hands in 1870. Interesting factoid is that they learned this from midwives (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ignaz_Semmelweis).

[lotsofpulp]

I recall my wife’s doctor saying that was because they used to implant multiple embryos during IVF, and they no longer do that, especially since the Octomom fiasco.

[Auracle]

They no longer do it as a default, but they absolutely still do it with some couples. IVF is expensive, and miscarriages or lack of implantation is devastating.

[inglor_cz]

If you visit a cemetery with still readable headstones from the 1800s (even the late 1800s), there will be an awful lot of kids there.

[aantix]

IIRC, 90% are farmers. Each farm can output enough food for five other people if all things go right (weather, health, etc). That’s horrible efficiency.

Stories of families with ten kids and even the little ones having adult responsibilities.

It was an all-hands-on-deck affair to prepare for the winter and without everyone’s help, someone probably dead.