The mechanism of twins formation
https://doi.org/10.17749/2313-7347/ob.gyn.rep.2024.456
Abstract
What events in pregnant woman underlie twins formation? What do zygosity, chorionicity and amnionicity depend on? It seems that the answer is very clear. As early as in 1955, the works by G.W. Corner were published, which served as the basis for proposing the traditional model of twins formation, still remains widely acknowledged. But whether is everything so obvious? In order to answer this question, it is necessary to go back to the roots and understand of how the overall idea about fertilization and formation of multiple pregnancies has evolved since the XVII century till the present time.
Supporting agencies: The authors declare no funding
About the Authors
P. A. Kuznetsov
Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Health Ministry of Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Pavel A. Kuznetsov, MD, PhD, Associate Professor
Faculty of Medicine; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
117997; 1 Ostrovityanova Str.; Moscow
E. S. Plokhikh
Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Health Ministry of Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Evgeniya S. Plokhikh, Student
117997; 1 Ostrovityanova Str.; Moscow
References
1. Kanaev I.I. Twins. Essays on multiple pregnancy issues. Institute of Physiology named after I.P. Pavlova. [Bliznecy. Ocherki po voprosam mnogoplodiya. Institut fiziologii imeni I.P. Pavlova]. Moscow–Leningrad: Izdatel'stvo Akademii nauk SSSR, 1959. 382 p. (In Russ.).
2. Galen K. Galen on the usefulness of the parts of the body. Ed. V.N. Ternovsky. [O naznachenii chastej chelovecheskogo tela. Pod red. V.N. Ternovskogo]. Moscow: Izdatel'stvo «Medicina», 1971. (In Russ).
3. Gaisinovich A.E. K.F. Wolf and the doctrine of the development of organisms (in connection with the general evolution of the scientific worldview). Academy of Sciences of the USSR. Institute of Animal Morphology named after A.N. Severtsov. [K.F. Vol'f i uchenie o razvitii organizmov (v svyazi s obshchej evolyuciej nauchnogo mirovozzreniya). Akademiya nauk SSSR. Institut morfologii zhivotnyh imeni A.N. Severcova]. Moscow: Izdatel'stvo Akademii nauk SSSR, 1961. 548 p. (In Russ).
4. Corner G.W. The observed embryology of human single-ovum twins and other multiple births. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1955;70(5):933–51. doi: 10.1016/0002-9378(55)90001-6.
5. Herranz G. The timing of monozygotic twinning: a criticism of the common model. Zygote. 2013;23(1):27–40. doi: 10.1017/S0967199413000257.
6. European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. Time-lapse recordings reveal why IVF embryos are more likely to develop into twins. Researchers believe the laboratory culture could be the cause. Press releases ESHRE 2007. Available at: https://ivf.net/ivf/time-lapse-recordings-reveal-why-ivf-embryos-are-more-likely-to-develop-into-twins-researchers-o2803.html. [Accessed: 30. 09. 2023].
7. Denker H.-W. Comment on G. Herranz: The timing of monozygotic twinning: a criticism of the common model. Zygote (2013). Zygote. 2015;23(2):312–4. doi: 10.1017/S0967199413000579.
8. Mcnamara H.C., Kane S.C., Craig J.M. et al. A review of the mechanisms and evidence for typical and atypical twinning. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2016;214(2):172–91. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2015.10.930.
9. Mortimer G. Zygosity and placental structure in monochorionic twins. Acta Genet Med Gemellol (Roma).1987;36(3):417–20. doi: 10.1017/s0001566000006188.
10. Yang M.-J., Tzeng C.-H., Tseng J.-Y., Huang C.-Y. Determination of twin zygosity using a commercially available STR analysis of 15 unlinked loci and the gender-determining marker amelogenin – a preliminary report. Hum Reprod. 2006;21(8):2175–9. doi: 10.1093/humrep/del133.
11. Boklage C.E. Traces of embryogenesis are the same in monozygotic and dizygotic twins: not compatible with double ovulation. Hum Reprod. 2009;24(6):1255–66. doi: 10.1093/humrep/dep030.
12. Gabbett M.T., Laporte J., Sekar R. et al. Molecular support for heterogonesis resulting in sesquizygotic twinning. N Engl J Med. 2019;380(9):842–9. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1701313.
13. She's her own twin. ABC News. August 15, 2006. Available at: https://abcnews.go.com/Primetime/shes-twin/story?id=2315693. [Accessed: 30. 09. 2023].
14. Souter V.L., Kapur R.P., Nyholt D.R. et al. A report of dizygous monochorionic twins. N Engl J Med. 2003;349(2):154–8. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa030050.
15. Meintjes M. Monozigotic twinning and assisted reproduction. Laboratory or clinical? In: Culture Media, Solutions, and Systems in Human ART. Cambridge University Press, 2014. Chapter 7. 80–94. doi: 10.1017/CBO9781139059053.008.
What is already known about this subject?
► No unambiguous answer to the question regarding the mechanism of twins formation is currently available.
► Today, G.W. Corner’s theory considered dominant over more than 50 years has been criticized.
What are the new findings?
► A historical background about insights into twins formation is provided in the paper.
► Recent main theories and relevant evidence have been outlined.
How might it impact on clinical practice in the foreseeable future?
► Understanding twins formation mechanism can help to decrease the rate of iatrogenic twins in in vitro fertilization cycles.
Review
For citations:
Kuznetsov P.A., Plokhikh E.S. The mechanism of twins formation. Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproduction. 2024;18(2):268-273. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.17749/2313-7347/ob.gyn.rep.2024.456
Views:
1381
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Email this article 
