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Twinning rate in spontaneous abortions
American Journal of Human Genetics
|September 1, 1983
Summary
Early pregnancy loss reveals a higher twin conception rate than previously estimated. This study found 15 twin pairs among 661 spontaneous abortions, suggesting twins are frequently lost before birth.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Biology
- Human Genetics
- Perinatal Medicine
Background:
- Spontaneous abortions represent a significant proportion of early pregnancy losses.
- Understanding the frequency of twin conceptions is crucial for reproductive health research.
- Previous estimates of twinning rates may not fully account for early losses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the frequency of twin conceptions lost during the first trimester of pregnancy.
- To compare the twinning rate in spontaneous abortions with that of live births and stillbirths.
- To estimate the overall twinning rate using data from early pregnancy losses.
Main Methods:
- Karyotyping using Q-bands was performed on spontaneous abortions and their mothers.
- Analysis of Q-band variants excluded maternal contamination and mosaicism.
- Data from 661 spontaneous abortions were analyzed to identify twin pairs.
Main Results:
- Fifteen twin pairs were identified among 661 spontaneous abortions, including two sets of conjoined twins.
- The twinning rate in spontaneous abortions was found to be 1/44.
- This rate is significantly higher than the 1/103 rate observed in live births and stillbirths.
Conclusions:
- A substantial number of twin conceptions are lost during the first trimester.
- The true frequency of twin conceptions may be underestimated when only considering live births and stillbirths.
- Applying Weinberg's differential method suggests a potential twinning frequency as high as 1/30.
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