Energy metabolism and relative brain size in human neonates from single and multiple gestations. An allometric study

From an allometric analysis of single and multiple human pregnancies the metabolic rate and the degree of encephalization of neonates could be calculated. As a result of the reduction in somatic growth in multiple gestations the oxygen consumption per neonate was found to be an inverse non-linear function of litter size. Furthermore, differential growth rates between brain weight, body weight, and body length, respectively, in the late prenatal period revealed that twins at birth are in general less encephalized than are newborns from single births.