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Oral contraception and twinning: an epidemiologic study.

American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology

|February 15, 1979

Summary

Women who conceived shortly after stopping oral contraceptives had double the rate of twin births. This effect was observed in both black and white women, suggesting a link to dizygous (fraternal) twinning.

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Area of Science:

Reproductive Medicine
Obstetrics
Epidemiology

Background:

Oral contraceptive (OC) use is widespread globally.
The potential impact of OC cessation on conception and pregnancy outcomes requires further investigation.
Previous studies have yielded mixed results regarding post-contraceptive conception patterns.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the relationship between recent oral contraceptive use cessation and the incidence of twin births.
To determine if any observed effect differs by race or type of twinning.

Main Methods:

A retrospective cohort study involving 4,428 women across five large hospitals in Connecticut.
Data collection focused on conception timing relative to oral contraceptive cessation and pregnancy outcomes.
Statistical analysis was performed to compare twinning rates between women conceiving shortly after OC cessation and a control group.

Main Results:

Women conceiving within two months of stopping oral contraceptives exhibited a twofold increase in the rate of delivering twins.
This elevated twinning rate was consistent across both black and white women.
Further analysis indicated that the increase was primarily associated with dizygous (fraternal) twinning, not monozygous (identical) twinning.

Conclusions:

Cessation of oral contraceptive use within a short timeframe prior to conception is associated with a significantly increased likelihood of twin births.
The observed effect is likely mediated by an increased incidence of dizygous twinning.
These findings have implications for family planning and understanding ovulation patterns post-contraception.

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