Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gvvz8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T05:07:00.018Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Disturbed Intrauterine Growth in Twins: Etiological Aspects

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 August 2014

K. Björo jr.*
Affiliation:
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The National Hospital, University of Oslo
K. Björo*
Affiliation:
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The National Hospital, University of Oslo
*
University of Oslo, Dept. of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The National Hospital, Oslo 1, Norway
University of Oslo, Dept. of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The National Hospital, Oslo 1, Norway

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Factors presumed to influence intrauterine growth were analyzed among 192 twin pairs. Mean birthweight was considerably reduced compared to single pregnancies, and a high proportion of twins were growth retarded (12.4%). One fifth of the twin pairs presented an intrapair birthweight difference exceeding 20%. DZ twins were sligthly heavier than the MZ, while dichorionic twins had a somewhat higher birthweight than the monochorionic. The intrapair weight differences were greater in twins with fused dichorionic placentae than in those with separate ones. The umbilical cord insertion seemed to influence intrauterine growth. Fetuses with velamentously or marginally inserted cords presented more frequently retarded growth than twins with centrally inserted umbilical cords. Though a total of 13 cases of twin transfusion syndromes were observed, these were not characterized by great intrapair weight differences.

Type
Review Article
Copyright
Copyright © The International Society for Twin Studies 1985

References

REFERENCES

1. Altman, DG, Cole, EC (1980): Nomograms for precise determination of birth weights for dates. Br J Obstet Gynaecol 87:8186.Google Scholar
2. Bjoro, K jr (1983): Vascular anomalies of the umbilical cord: I. Obstetric implications. Early HumDev 8:119127.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3. Bryan, EM (1983): The Nature and Nurture of Twins. London: Baillere Tindall.Google Scholar
4. Corey, LA, Nance, WE, Kang, KW, Christian, JC (1979): Effects of type of placentation on birthweight and its variability in monozygotic and dizygotic twins. Acta Genet Med Gemellol 28: 4150.Google Scholar
5. Corney, G, Thompson, B, Campbell, DM, MacGillivray, I, Seedburgh, D, Timlin, D (1979): The effect of zygosity on birth weight of twins in Aberdeen and Northeast Scotland. Acta Genet Med Gemellol 29:353360.Google Scholar
6. Fenner, A, Malm, T, Kusserow, U (1980): Intrauterine growth of twins. Eur J Pediatrics 133: 119121.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7. McKeown, T, Record, RG (1952): Observation of foetal growth in multiple pregnancy in man. J Endocrinol 8:286290.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
8. Naeye, RL, Benirschke, K, Hagstrom, JWC, Marcus, CC (1966): Intrauterine growth of twins as estimated from liveborn birth-weigth data. Pediatrics 37:409416.Google Scholar
9. Philip, AGS (1981): Term twins with discordant birth weights: Observations at birth and one year. Acta Genet Med Gemellol 30, 203212.Google Scholar
10. Woods, DL, Malan, AF, de V Heese, H (1979): Pattern of retarded fetal growth. Early Hum Dev 3:257262.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed