title: Antenatal Diagnosis of Dizygotic, Monochorionic Twins Following IVF/ICSI.
abstract: Monochorionic twins are usually monozygotic and thus usually have the same sex. A case of monochorionic diamniotic twins following IVF/ICSI and laser treatment of the zona pellucida ("assisted hatching") is presented in which partial embryo amalgamation appears to have occurred. Discordant sex between the twins was suspected on detailed antenatal ultrasound at 13 + 3 weeks gestation and was confirmed on subsequent examinations. The sexual phenotype at birth was female for one twin and male for the other. Placental histology confirmed the monochorionic, diamniotic situation. Cytogenetic analysis of both twins was carried out postpartum on various tissues. On karyotyping of blood lymphocytes the male and female twins each had one mosaic of male and female cells. Oral mucosal cells showed normal male and female karyotypes respectively. Analysis of urothelium showed a normal result for the male infant, and a weak gonosomal mosaic with an XX and XY constellation for the female infant. At least for blood lymphocytes, a diagnosis of chimerism was proven.
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Frauenheilkunde und Geburtshilfe der Universität Regensburg am Caritas-Krankenhaus St. Josef, Regensburg.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Korsun
authors.affiliation: Profertilita, Zentrum für Fruchtbarkeitsmedizin, Regensburg.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bals-Pratsch
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Frauenheilkunde und Geburtshilfe der Universität Regensburg am Caritas-Krankenhaus St. Josef, Regensburg.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ortmann
authors.affiliation: Kompetenzzentrum für Humangenetik, Gynäkologie und Laboratoriumsmedizin, Dr. Staber und Kollegen, Regensburg.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Markus
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Frauenheilkunde und Geburtshilfe der Universität Regensburg am Caritas-Krankenhaus St. Josef, Regensburg.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Germer
keywords: ART; gemini; sex discordance; sonography