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Four‐dimensional sonographic assessment of inter‐twin contact late in the first trimester
Author(s) -
Sasaki Mutsuko,
Yanagihara Toshihiro,
Naitoh Naoko,
Hata Toshiyuki
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
international journal of gynecology and obstetrics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.895
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1879-3479
pISSN - 0020-7292
DOI - 10.1016/j.ijgo.2009.09.025
Subject(s) - medicine , gestation , obstetrics , first trimester , second trimester , significant difference , pregnancy , third trimester , twin pregnancy , ultrasonography , gynecology , surgery , genetics , biology
Objective To evaluate the total number of inter‐twin contacts between monochorionic diamniotic (MD) and dichorionic diamniotic (DD) twins using four‐dimensional (4D) sonography late in the first trimester of pregnancy. Method Six MD and 8 DD pregnancies were studied for 30 minutes with 4D sonography at 10–11 and 12–13 weeks of gestation. A total of 10 types of inter‐twin contact was evaluated. Results There was a significant difference in the total number of all contacts between MD and DD twins at the 10–11 weeks of gestation ( P < 0.05). There was also a significant difference in the total number of contacts between 10–11 and 12–13 weeks of gestation in DD twins ( P < 0.05). Conclusion Four‐dimensional sonography provides a means of evaluating inter‐twin contact in the first trimester of pregnancy and could be an accurate and reliable tool in studies of inter‐twin behavior.