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The Validity of Weinberg's Rule in the East Flanders Prospective Twin Survey (EFPTS)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 August 2014

R. Vlietinck ,
C. Derom ,
R. Derom ,
H. Van den Berghe  and
M. Thiery
R. Vlietinck*
Affiliation:
Department of Human Biology, Catholic University of Leuven
C. Derom
Affiliation:
Department of Human Biology, Catholic University of Leuven
R. Derom
Affiliation:
Department of Obstetrics, State University of Gent, Belgium
H. Van den Berghe
Affiliation:
Department of Human Biology, Catholic University of Leuven
M. Thiery
Affiliation:
Department of Obstetrics, State University of Gent, Belgium
*
Department of Human Biology, Catholic University, Herestraat 49, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium

Abstract

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Most population studies of twins estimate the number of monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) pairs by Weinberg's differential rule. This rule assumes that within the DZ twins the numbers of unlike-sexed (U) and like-sexed (L) twins are equal. The literature on the validity of Weinberg's rule is still controversial. In this prospective population-based study (EFPTS) of 2,589 twin pairs, of whom 2,577 were of known zygosity and placentation, the estimates of Weinberg's rule agree well with the results of direct zygosity determination.

Keywords

TwinsWeinberg's ruleZygosity determinationOvulation inductionPopulation study
Type
Research Article
Information
Acta geneticae medicae et gemellologiae: twin research , Volume 37 , Issue 2 , April 1988 , pp. 137 - 141
Copyright
Copyright © The International Society for Twin Studies 1988

References

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