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Retrospective Determination of Chorion Type in Twins Using a Simple Questionnaire

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 February 2012

Catherine Derom ,
Robert Derom ,
Ruth J. F. Loos ,
Nele Jacobs  and
Robert Vlietinck
Catherine Derom*
Affiliation:
Center of Human Genetics, University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium. c.derom@planetinternet.be
Robert Derom
Affiliation:
Association for Scientific Research in Multiple Births, Destelbergen, Belgium.
Ruth J. F. Loos
Affiliation:
Center of Human Genetics, University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium.
Nele Jacobs
Affiliation:
Center of Human Genetics, University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium.
Robert Vlietinck
Affiliation:
Center of Human Genetics, University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium.
*
*Address for correspondence: Dr C. Derom, Kwadenplasstraat 20, B-9070 Destelbergen, Belgium.

Abstract

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This study investigates the validity of retrospective determination of chorion type by asking the question to the mother about the number of placentas. In the “East Flanders Prospective Twin Survey” (EFPTS), accurate information on the placentation and zygosity of the multiples was collected prospectively. The mothers of 231 monozygotic (95 dichorionic and 136 monochorionic) twins and 255 dizygotic twins were asked to fill in a simple questionnaire regarding 1) the zygosity and 2) the number of placentas of their twins. The accuracy of the response to the question on “the number of placentas” was 60% for monozygotic twins and 37% for dizygotic twins. The accuracy of the response to the question on the zygosity of the twins was 93% for monozygotic and 95% for dizygotic twins. If the questionnaire was used for the determination of chorion type, a total of 31 monozygotic twins (13%) should have been assigned as dichorionic on the fact that there were two separate placentas. Of these, 10 (32%) are monochorionic and 12 (39%) were falsely reported as having two placentas. We conclude from these findings that this simple questionnaire method is unreliable for the retrospective determination of the chorion type.

Type
Articles
Information
Twin Research and Human Genetics , Volume 6 , Issue 1 , 01 February 2003 , pp. 19 - 21
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2003