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Updated: Jun 18, 2026

A Novel Use of Three-dimensional High-frequency Ultrasonography for Early Pregnancy Characterization in the Mouse
Published on: October 24, 2017
Four-dimensional sonographic assessment of inter-twin contact late in the first trimester
Mutsuko Sasaki1, Toshihiro Yanagihara, Naoko Naitoh
1Department of Perinatology and Gynecology, Kagawa University School of Medicine, Kagawa, Japan.
Objective:
To evaluate the total number of inter-twin contacts between monochorionic diamniotic (MD) and dichorionic diamniotic (DD) twins using four-dimensional (4D) sonography late in the first trimester of pregnancy.
Method:
Six MD and 8 DD pregnancies were studied for 30 minutes with 4D sonography at 10-11 and 12-13 weeks of gestation. A total of 10 types of inter-twin contact was evaluated.
Results:
There was a significant difference in the total number of all contacts between MD and DD twins at the 10-11 weeks of gestation (P<0.05). There was also a significant difference in the total number of contacts between 10-11 and 12-13 weeks of gestation in DD twins (P<0.05).
Conclusion:
Four-dimensional sonography provides a means of evaluating inter-twin contact in the first trimester of pregnancy and could be an accurate and reliable tool in studies of inter-twin behavior.
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