Biomedical subjects

C Charlemaine

Publications and source records attributed to C Charlemaine.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2000

Fetal biometric parameters, twin type and birth weight difference. A longitudinal study.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between twin type, divided by zygosity, chorionicity, and birth weight difference [more or less than 15% intertwin weight difference at delivery] on fetal biometric measurements, including biparietal diameter, transverse abdominal diameter, head and abdominal circumferences (AC) and head and abdominal areas, femur length (FL), transverse cerebellar diameter, cerebellar circumference and cerebellar area at 18, 23, 28 and 32 weeks of gestational age. STUDY DESIGN: A prospective and longitudinal study was done on 75 twin pairs that did not present the twin-twin transfusion syndrome (150 fetuses) divided into birth weight difference group I (<15%) and group II (>/=15%). The twin pairs were divided into three groups: dizygotic, monochorionic, and dichorionic-monozygotic. In each group the differences in various ultrasound indices were evaluated in reference to discordant growth or concordant growth. RESULTS: In our sample, there were no monozygotic twin pairs with dichorionic placentation with a birth weight difference of more than 15%. Significant associations of group and gestational age were found in dizygotic and monochorionic twins. Intrapair differences were significantly higher in group II (>/=15%) than in group I (<15%) for all fetal parameters studied except for AC, abdominal area and all cerebellar parameters. The value of these discrepancies increased according to gestational age except for FL. Significant interactions between group and zygosity type indicated that intrapair FL differences were more associated with group in monochorionic twins, whereas intrapair transverse cerebellar diameter differences were more associated with group in dizygotic twins. CONCLUSION: Our data show that most fetal biometric parameters are associated with birth weight discordancy. Abdominal area could be a relevant marker for twins with obstetric complications. Note that this is the first research that has studied a twin sample divided by both twin type and birth weight group.

Biometry↗

PubMed1998

Management and outcome of triplet pregnancy.

The parameters involved in obstetrical follow-up of triplet pregnancies were evaluated in a retrospective study between 1975-1993 of the follow-up of 91 triplet pregnancies. During this long interval of time, many changes in management of triplets occurred. Considering these differences, two periods in the present study were compared: 1975-1986, which consists of a previously published retrospective analysis of 21 triplet pregnancies; and 1987-1993, during which the modalities of the 7-year follow-up described previously were applied to 70 triplet pregnancies. No improvement was observed between the two periods. Nineteen pregnancies were spontaneous. Thirty-seven allowed treatment with ovulation induction agents and 35 were due to in vitro Fertilization. Early diagnosis of multiple pregnancies allows installation measures for the prevention of prematurity. Management, initiated upon diagnosis, included home rest and a weekly follow-up at home by a midwife every week. Monthly consultations and ultrasounds were performed at the hospital. Hospitalization was not systematic but was done in cases of maternal complications. The mean term for the diagnosis of triplet pregnancy was 13.9 +/- 5.3 weeks. The mean gestational age was 33.4 weeks; 90% of the deliveries were by cesarean section. The mean weight of the neonates was 1716 g. The mean Apgar score at 1 and 5 m was 7.7 and 9.3, respectively. The perinatal mortality was 80 per 1000. The main neonatal complications resulted from prematurity. Authors compared rates of Hyaline Membrane Disease in infants of patients treated with corticosteroids and of patients who were not. Hyaline Membrane Disease occurred in 13% of the corticotherapy group and in 31% of the untreated group. The present study supports systematic corticotherapy between 28 and 34 weeks for triplet pregnancies.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

Twin differences and similarities of birthweight and term in the French Romulus population.

This study was performed to examine the main characteristics of the French Romulus twin population: zygosity, chorionicity, sex, term and birthweight. A sample of 104 pairs of twins was distinguished by zygosity, chorionicity and sex, and divided into concordant and discordant birthweight groups. Fifty-three % (n = 55) of the fetus pairs studied were born at "ideal term" (35-38 weeks), and 25% (n = 26) were delivered at "preterm" (28-34 weeks). The very preterm (< 28 weeks), and "postterm" (> 38 weeks) represented altogether 22% (n = 23) of the sample. Of the 104 twin pairs, 68% (n = 71) differ by less than 15% in birthweight, and 32% (n = 33) have a birthweight difference higher than 15%. In dizygotic (DZ) pairs females had more tendency to be in the discordant group (p = 0.01) while in monochorionic-monozygotic (MC-MZ) pairs males were more discordant (p = 0.07). We found a significant interaction between sex and zygosity type (p = 0.02). Males had a birthweight difference significantly weaker than that of females in dichorionic-monozygotic (DC-MZ) and DZ twins whereas it was higher than that of females in MC-MZ twins. There were no MZ twin pairs with DC placentation over than 15% birthweight difference. Log linear analysis demonstrated a three-way interaction (p < 0.05) between term type, zygosity type and hypotrophy. Our data indicate that in the group of twins born between 35 and 38 weeks' gestation the crucial question still remains unsettled on how term and birthweight are related to zygotism and/or chorionicity.

Birth Weight↗

PubMed1997

Twin zygosity diagnosis by mailed questionnaire below age twelve months. Le Groupe Romulus.

Parents of a sample of 76 same sexed pairs of twins aged 3 to 9 months completed a mailed similarity questionnaire. It included the Bonnelykke et al.'s questionnaire and a four anthropological variable scale. To improve each of these two methods, three other combined methods were carried out and results were compared with the biological zygosity diagnosis. The Bonnelykke et al.'s classification combined with anthropological scale (method 4) gave only 1.2% misclassified in the whole sample. It is concluded that zygosity diagnosis using this type of procedure to distinguish MZ and DZ pairs would be important not only for epidemiological study but also for pediatricians and parents.

Humans↗

PubMed1997

Biparietal diameter in twins at gestational weeks 18-32. Differences and similarities. Le Groupe Romulus.

OBJECTIVE: To examine twin similarities on biparietal diameter (BPD) measurements by zygosity (monozygotic [MZ] and dizygotic [DZ]) and chorionicity (monochorionic [MC] and dichorionic [DC]) and their evolution during pregnancy. METHOD: A sample of 54 pairs of twins (43 DZ sets, 11 MZ sets [7 MC and 4 DC]) was constructed using retrospective data. Despite the small sample size, our data were complete, and, for the first time we measured different fetal parameters on digital ultrasound images outside routine examination. The intraexaminer and interexaminer reliability of BPD measurement was significant (r = .95, P < .001). RESULTS: In this study, developmental results indicate significant linear regression coefficient (R) through the whole period of gestation (r = .96, P < .001), though product moment correlations comparing the periods of gestation two by two are weaker. The distribution of BPD values was slightly wider at the 28th week and markedly wider at the 32nd week than that at the 18th and 23rd weeks. The intraclass correlations of DZ and MZ (MC and DC) twins were examined at the 18th, 23rd, 28th and 32nd weeks of amenorhea. The intraclass correlations of DZ twins were significant through the whole period of gestation (r = .45, P = .001; r = .27, P = .04; r = .36, P = .008; and r = .42, P = .002, respectively), whereas the intraclass correlations of MZ twins were significant only at the 18th, 23rd and 28th weeks (r = .73, P = .002; r = .69, P = .005; r = .49, P = .047, respectively). We found significant within-variance differences not only between DZ and DC-MZ but also between DC-MZ and MC-MZ in late gestation. CONCLUSION: Our analysis of twin BPD development demonstrated that zygosity and chorionicity type are both important determinants of twin fetal development.

Biometry↗