siddhans wrote:
Aggressive fertility treatments are not responsible for the rise in the incidence of twin births. Rather, this increase can be attributed to the fact that women are waiting longer to become mothers. Statistically, women over 35 are more likely to conceive twins, and these women comprise a greater percentage of women giving birth than ever before.
The argument above is flawed in that it ignores the possibility that
many women over 35 who give birth to twins are not first-time mothers
women over 35 are not the only women who give birth to twins
the correlation between fertility treatments and the increased incidence of multiple births may be a coincidence
on average, women over 35 are no more likely to conceive identical twins than other women are
women over 35 are more likely to resort to the sorts of fertility treatments that tend to yield twin births
Can someone explain the reasoning behind this?
Let me try this
The argument is based on the fact that age factor of women ( over 35) is responsible for higher percentage of twins.
Lets state this as cause A.
It refutes the fact that fertility treatment is responsible for this trend.
Lets state this as cause B.
According to the argument cause A -> result
but what if age of women is forcing them to take the fertility treatment i.e cause B -> cause A -> higher percentage of twins.
Answer choice analysis:
A. many women over 35 who give birth to twins are not first-time mothers - irrelevant , even if the mothers are not first time mothers then also the conclusion remains
B. women over 35 are not the only women who give birth to twins - does not help explain why women over 35 are giving more births to twins.
C.the correlation between fertility treatments and the increased incidence of multiple births may be a coincidence - again irrelevant
D. on average, women over 35 are no more likely to conceive identical twins than other women are - against the premise
E. women over 35 are more likely to resort to the sorts of fertility treatments that tend to yield twin births - correct for the reasons stated above.