Placental injection studies in twin gestation.
Vascular communication between placental vessels can occur when there is a fused placental mass in twin gestation. The presence of anastomotic channels can lead to the twin-twin transfusion syndrome in the fetuses. A study was conducted on 278 twin pairs to determine the incidence of vascular communication in fused twin placentas and the frequency of twin-twin transfusion syndrome. Anastomotic communication was found almost universally in monochorionic placentation and very rarely with dichorionic placentas. Twin-twin transfusion syndrome occurred uncommonly despite the high frequency of occurrence of cross-placental vascular communication. Misdiagnosis of intrauterine growth retardation in one twin can be avoided by determination of chorionicity by inspection of the placentas of twin gestation.
D002823:Chorion / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005330:Fetofetal Transfusion / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D010920:Placenta / Q000098:blood supply*; D010929:Placentation; D011247:Pregnancy; D011272:Pregnancy, Multiple; D012737:Sex Factors; D014429:Twins, Dizygotic; D014430:Twins, Monozygotic