Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-fbnjt Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-19T20:24:48.237Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Zygosity, Placental Membranes and Weinberg's Rule in a Danish Consecutive Twin Series

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 August 2014

H. Husby ,
N.V. Holm ,
A. Gernow ,
S.G. Thomsen ,
K. Kock  and
H. Gürtler
H. Husby
Affiliation:
Institute of Medical Genetics, Odense University
N.V. Holm*
Affiliation:
Institute of Medical Genetics, Odense University
A. Gernow
Affiliation:
Institute of Pathology, Odense University
S.G. Thomsen
Affiliation:
Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Odense University
K. Kock
Affiliation:
Institute of Pathology, Odense University
H. Gürtler
Affiliation:
Institute of Forensic Medicine, Copenhagen University, Denmark
*
Institute of Medical Genetics, Winslöwsvej 17, DK-5000 Odense C, Denmark

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

The usual assumption that monochorionic twins are monozygotic has recently been questioned, based on blood group discordance in 3 of 12 monochorionic pairs. Therefore, this study evaluates the validity of zygosity diagnosis based on examination of placental membranes, and at the same time evaluates Weinberg's differential rule in a Danish consecutive twin series. All twin pairs, 265 like-sexed and 87 unlike-sexed pairs, born at Odense University Hospital, Denmark, from 1 January 1980 through 31 August 1988, were ascertained. In 229 like-sexed pairs, zygosity was determined by serological methods, and in 190 of these, the fetal membranes could be reliably classified. Fiftynine monochorionic twin pairs were identified and none of those pairs were discordant for any genetic markers. Therefore, we conclude that monochorionic twins can be considered monozygotic. The distribution of monozygotic and dizygotic pairs was in accordance with Weinberg's rule.

Keywords

Zygosity diagnosisChorionicityWeinberg's rule
Type
Research Article
Information
Acta geneticae medicae et gemellologiae: twin research , Volume 40 , Issue 2 , April 1991 , pp. 147 - 152
Copyright
Copyright © The International Society for Twin Studies 1991

References

REFERENCES

1.Bieber, FR, Nance, JM, Morton, CC, Brown, JA, Redwine, FO, Jordan, RL, Mohanakumar, T (1981): Genetic studies of an acardiac monster: Evidence of polar body twinning in man. Science 213:775–777.Google Scholar
2.Bulmer, MG (1970): The Biology of Twinning in Man. Oxford: Clarendon Press.Google Scholar
3.Bulmer, MG (1976): Is Weinberg's method valid? Acta Genet Med Gemellol 25:25–28.Google Scholar
4.Vital Statistics 1985. København 1987: Danmarks Statistik.Google Scholar
5.Fox, H (1978): The placenta in multiple pregnancy. In Bennington, JH (ed): Pathology of the Placenta. London: WB Saunders.Google Scholar
6.Hrubec, Z, Robinette, D (1984): The study of twins in medical research. N Engl J Med 310:435–441.Google Scholar
7.James, WH (1979): Is Weinberg's differential rule valid? Acta Genet Med Gemellol 28:69–71Google Scholar
8.James, WH (1984): Twins. N Engl J Med 311:58.Google Scholar
9.Johnson, SF, Driscoll, SG (1986): Twin placentation and its complications. Semin Perinatol 10:9–13.Google ScholarPubMed
10.Mortimer, G (1987): Zygosity and placental structure in monochorionic twins. Acta Genet Med Gemellol 36:417–420.Google ScholarPubMed
11.Nylander, PPS, Osunkoya, BO (1970): Unusual monochorionic placentation with heterosexual twins. Obstet Gynecol 36:621–625.Google Scholar
12.Stern, C (1973): Principles of Human Genetics. San Francisco: WH Freeman and Company.Google Scholar
13.Vlietinck, R, Derom, C, Derom, R, Van den Berghe, H, Thiery, M (1988): The validity of Weinberg's rule in the East Flanders Prospective Twin Survey (EFPTS). Acta Genet Med Gemellol 37:137–141.Google Scholar