Growth and development of twins compared with singletons at ages one and four years.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the growth and development of twins with normal control singletons and also with matched 'high risk' singletons, at one and four years of age. DESIGN: A four year prospective follow up study. SETTING: High risk clinic (HRC) of a referral hospital. SUBJECTS: Twin pairs enrolled in the HRC; normal full term singleton controls; and high risk "matched" singletons enrolled in the HRC. METHODS: The height, weight and head circumference was measured at one and four years. Development was assessed at 1 year using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development. At 4 years, the intelligence quotient was determined by the Stanford Binet Intelligence Scale. RESULTS: Forty two twins and an equal number of controls were assessed at one year. All the twins weighed less than 2 kg at birth. They lagged behind in all three parameters of growth, namely, height, weight and head circumference. AT 4 years, 24 twins came for follow up. Although, they had caught up for head circumference, they lagged behind in height and weight, particularly the group of fourteen SGA twins. The growth parameters of LBW twins and LBW matched singletons did not show any significant difference. At one year, the development of twins was within normal limits although the motor quotients were significantly lower than that of controls. At 4 years, the intelligence quotients of twins were well within normal limits. CONCLUSIONS: Twins were lighter and shorter than controls at four years, particularly the SGA twins. The growth parameters of LBW twins and LBW matched singletons showed no significant difference. The intelligence of twins was normal at four years.

Biological and social traits associated with twinning among Caucasoids and Negroids

Os prontuários das mäes de gêmeos causasóides (589) e negróides (142) nascidos entre 1984 e 1993 e de um grupo controle de mäes de crianças nascidas de parto único (1267 caucasóides e 248 negróides) na maior maternidade de Campinas, SP, Brasil (Maternidade de Campinas) foram investigados para a análise das seguintes informaçöes: categoria da internaçäo hospitalar (clínica particular, INSS e indigentes), estado civil, idade materna, ocorrência de trabalho de parto, tipo de parto, paridade (partos anteriores), abortamentos espontâneos anteriores ao parto, idade gestacional e peso e estatura dos gêmeos e dos nascituros únicos. As principais conclusöes foram as seguintes: 1) as mäes caucasóides usufruiram, em maior proporçäo, de internaçäo hospitalar de categoria mais alta, mas a gemelaridade näo mostrou associaçäo com a classe social das parturientes; 2) a proporçäo de mulheres casadas entre as mäes caucasóides foi maior do que entre as negróides, e as mäes caucasóides de gêmeos incluíram maior proporçäo de mulheres casadas do que as que tiveram parto único; 3) näo se constatou diferença entre caucasóides e negróides quanto a idade média materna, ocorrência de trabalho de parto, tipo de parto, taxa de abortos espontâneos anteriores e idade gestacional; 4) quando comparadas as mäes que tiveram parto único, as mäes de gêmeos foram, em média, dois anos mais velhas, entraram menos freqüentemente em trabalho de parto, foram submetidas mais freqüentemente à cirurgia cesariana e tiveram maior taxa de abortos espontâneos, enquanto que os gêmeos tiveram menor idade média gestacional (três semanas) que os nascidos de parto único; 5) as mulheres caucasóides tiveram menor paridade que as negróides e as mäes de gêmeos maior paridade que as de partos únicos; 6) os gêmeos mostraram peso médio e estatura média menor que os nascidos de parto único, os recém-nascidos do sexo masculino mostraram peso levemente superior aos do sexo feminino, sendo os negróides mais leves e menores do que os caucasóides ao nascimento.

A study on the health status of twin babies.

A study on twin births was conducted from May 1993 to April 1994 at S.A.T. Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram. The twinning rate in this period was found as 17.33 per 1000 births. 79.6% babies in the twin pairs were of like sex and 20.4% were of unlike sex. The incidence of low birth weight twin babies in this study was 68.9%. There was no significant difference in the physical parameters (birth weight, body length and head circumference) of twin babies in relation to sex. The incidence of twin birth was higher among primipara mothers and in the mothers of age group 21 to 25 years. The first born baby (twin A) was found to be heavier than the second born baby (twin B) in 44.78% twin pairs and their mean birth weight difference was 438 g, while the second born baby (twin B) was found to be heavier than the first born (twin A) in 38.31% twin pairs and their mean birth weight difference was 291 g. Statistical analysis showed that the difference between the mean birth weight difference in the case of twin A > B was significantly greater when compared to that of twin A < B.

Análisis descriptivo de partos gemelares: Hospital de San Javier 1986-1991 / Descriptive analysis of twin labors: Hospital of San Javier 1986-1991

En el Hospital de San Javier, catalogado como tipo 4, se efectuó estudio retrsopectivo de los partos gemelares entre los años 1986 y 1991 con el objeto de evidenciar la realidad local en este tema y proponer conductas para mejorar la atención entregada a nuestra comunidad. Se recopiló la información del libro de registro de partos de nuestra maternidad. En el universo estudiado (5.304 partos), 35 partos fueron gemelares (0,66 por ciento), lo que se acerca a las cifras de la literatura nacional e internacional (menos del 1 por ciento). El porcentaje de partos gemelares fue resuelto por vía vaginal (63 por ciento), lo que concuerda con una conducta obstétrica actual en condiciones ideales. En relación a la puntuación del test de Apgar no encontramos diferencia importante entre los gemelos nacidos por vía alta o baja; si destacamos la existencia de recién nacidos con asfixia severa, en 3 casos (7 por ciento) de los naciods por vía vaginal. Concluímos que con los antecedentes expuestos podemos proponer, como conducta, la interrupción programada y electiva por vía cesárea de las madres embarazadas con gemelos, debido a lo distante que nos encontramos de una situación y realidad de trabajo ileal

A study of twin births in rural communities of Gujarat.

The incidence and the factors that influence twinning were studied in six villages of Dholka Taluka, a rural field training centre. The twinning rate was 10.10 per 1000 maternities. The monozygotic and dizygotic twinning rates were 4.53 and 5.56, respectively by applying Weinberg's differential formula. In three fourths of the twin births, both twins were of same sex while in one fourth, they were of opposite sex. The twinning rates increased significantly with increase in parental age and pregnancy order of mother.

Study on the outcome of pregnancies for one year in Dehradun city.

Data on the outcome of pregnancies and birth weight of neonates for one year from the government women hospital, Dehradun (U.P.) are analysed. The frequency of live births, stillbirths, twin births and abortions are found to occur higher in autumn. This may be due to higher number of marriages in winter months and higher conception rate in cooler months. The live birth sex ratio is found to be at par with the other world populations. The sex ratio for single live births as well as stillbirths is lowest in winter and for twin births, it is lowest in summer. Single live born neonates are heavier than the stillborn and twin born neonates. Summer live born and winter stillborn single neonates are heavier than those born in other seasons.