title: Fetal reflex movement in twin pregnancies late in the first trimester: 4-D sonographic study.
abstract: The objective of this study was to evaluate reactions to touch in utero between twin fetuses using 4-D sonography late in the first trimester of pregnancy. Six monochorionic diamniotic (MD) and eight dichorionic diamniotic (DD) pregnancies were studied for 30 min with transabdominal 4-D sonography at 12-13 weeks' gestation. The frequencies of no reaction (twins appear to touch each other but there is no clear reaction) and reaction (twins appear to touch each other and there is a clear reaction by the co-twin) movements were evaluated. There was no significant difference in the rate of reaction movements between MD (median, 33.6%) and DD (median, 33.9%) twins. The median rate of reaction movements in all 14 twins was 33.9% (range, 27 to 64.1%). Our findings suggest that the incidence of reflex movement of the co-twin on being touched by the other twin late in the first trimester is more frequent than that assessed by conventional 2-D ultrasound.
authors.affiliation: Department of Perinatology and Gynecology, Kagawa University School of Medicine, Miki, Kagawa, Japan. toshi28@med.kagawa-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Toshiyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hata
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kanenishi
authors.forename: Mutsuko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: Toshihiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yanagihara
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D005324:Fetal Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D059285:Pregnancy, Twin; D012018:Reflex / Q000502:physiology*; D014110:Touch; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal; D014741:Video Recording