Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 10, 2026
19:15
Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
Published on: August 25, 2014
Does neonatal and infant neurodevelopmental morbidity of multiples and singletons differ?
1School of Reproductive and Developmental Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool Women's Hospital, Crown Street, Liverpool L8 7SS, UK. mc19@liv.ac.uk
Seminars in Fetal & Neonatal Medicine
|August 3, 2010
Summary
Outcomes for twins can differ from singletons due to prematurity and growth issues. However, differences in twin outcomes often diminish when accounting for gestational age and growth restriction, suggesting plurality itself is less critical.
Area of Science:
- Perinatology
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Twin Studies
Background:
- Multiple birth pregnancies, particularly twins, face higher risks including intrauterine growth restriction and prematurity.
- The presence of a co-twin and zygosity can influence developmental trajectories compared to singletons.
- Existing research presents varied findings on long-term outcomes for twins versus singletons.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the mortality and morbidity of twins with singletons.
- To investigate the impact of plurality on cognitive, behavioral, and psychiatric outcomes.
- To identify factors influencing twin outcomes, such as gestation and growth.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of twin and singleton outcomes.
- Statistical adjustments for gestational age and intrauterine growth restriction.
- Review of studies examining cognitive, behavioral, and psychiatric endpoints.
Main Results:
- Early outcomes for twins may appear poorer but normalize after adjusting for prematurity and growth restriction.
- Cognitive differences between twins and singletons are small but significant in larger, recent studies, even after controlling for confounders.
- Cerebral palsy rates are notably higher in twins, especially following the death of a co-twin.
Conclusions:
- While initial outcomes can be challenging, many differences in twin development are explained by prematurity and growth, not plurality alone.
- Cognitive development shows subtle, persistent differences in twins, underscoring the need for careful monitoring.
- Behavioral and psychiatric outcomes are largely comparable, with gestation and growth being key factors, though twin-specific risks like cerebral palsy persist.
Related Concept Videos
01:07Teratogenicity
The ability of a drug to produce structural deformations and functional abnormalities in the developing embryo or the fetus is called teratogenicity, and the drug producing this effect is known as a teratogen. Teratogenic effects include stillbirth, miscarriage, intrauterine growth restriction, and neurocognitive delay. A teratogen may affect the embryo at different stages of development, which is important in determining the type and extent of the damage. During blastocyst formation, the early...
01:30Neurulation
Neurulation is the embryological process which forms the precursors of the central nervous system and occurs after gastrulation has established the three primary cell layers of the embryo: ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm. In humans, the majority of this system is formed via primary neurulation, in which the central portion of the ectoderm—originally appearing as a flat sheet of cells—folds upwards and inwards, sealing off to form a hollow neural tube. As development proceeds, the anterior...