Obstetrics is one of the few areas of medicine that focuses primarily on maintaining the physiological process and preventing the occurrence of pathology. The period of a woman's pregnancy is now quite often complicated by various diseases, and the main task of obstetrician-gynecologists is to maintain the mother's body and provide optimal conditions for bearing and giving birth to a child. One of the most interesting issues in obstetrics is the birth of twins. Find out more about how and why multiple pregnancy can develop in a woman's body with estet-portal.com.
The birth of twins: physiology or pathological condition
Pregnancy and childbirth with one fetus is a typical reproductive phenomenon for a woman. Such a pregnancy is considered physiological, it is rarely complicated and the birth of one child in most cases occurs without any problems. The birth of twins is much rarer in obstetric practice. The development of several fetuses in a woman's body at the same time is called a multiple pregnancy. Such a pregnancy, compared with a singleton, is more likely to develop complications. In addition, the process of giving birth to twins and the postpartum period are somewhat more difficult for both the mother and the children.
In this regard, multiple pregnancy and the birth of twins are considered pathological conditions that require increased attention from doctors.
Birth of twins:
- how common are twin births nowadays;
- reasons for the development of multiple pregnancy and the birth of twins;
- methods for determining zygosity after the birth of twins.
How common is twin births nowadays
The average frequency of multiple pregnancy is as follows:
- the birth of twins - once in a hundred births;
- triplets are born once in 1000 births;
- a quadruple birth is once in 10,000 births, and so on.
The birth of twins has now become a much more common situation, due to the widespread use of various assisted reproductive technologies. An important role is played by prolonged use of hormonal contraceptives before pregnancy, which increase the likelihood of multiple pregnancy. Hormonal stimulation of ovulation, as well as in vitro fertilization, also affect the development of this condition.
Causes of multiple pregnancies and twin births
The main factor influencing the development of multiple pregnancies in women is genetic predisposition.
As you know, in families where there were previously cases of twins, the likelihood of multiple pregnancy increases significantly. Multiple pregnancy can occur in the following ways:
- poliovulation is the fertilization of several mature eggs at the same time;
- polyembryony is the development of several embryos from one fertilized egg.
If twins are formed as a result of polyembryony, that is, they come from the same egg, such fruits are called identical, and they will be identical. If the cause of the birth of twins is poliovulation, the fetuses are called dizygotic or twins, and will not be identical.
Methods for determining zygosity after the birth of twins
Monozygous or identical twins have identical information as they come from the same egg fertilized by the same sperm. Dizygotic twins receive separate genetic material from their mother and father and, unlike monozygotic twins, will not necessarily be same-sex. Zygosity can be determined immediately after the birth of twins by evaluating the placenta. The proof of monozygosity is the detection of a monochorionic placenta. It is important to give a phenotypic characterization of born twins, evaluating their eye color, hair, tooth position and other signs. But in the first days after birth, it is quite difficult to assess the zygosity of twins in this way. Much more informative is the dermatoglyphic analysis of papillary patterns of fingers, palms and feet. It is important to note,
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