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Increasing Trend in the Monozygotic Twinning Rate

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 August 2014

W.M.A. Bressers ,
A.W. Eriksson ,
P.J. Kostense  and
P. Parisi
W.M.A. Bressers
Affiliation:
Institute of Human Genetics, The Netherlands
A.W. Eriksson*
Affiliation:
Institute of Human Genetics, The Netherlands
P.J. Kostense
Affiliation:
Department of Theory of Medicine, Epidemiology and Biostatistic, Medical Faculty, Free University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
P. Parisi
Affiliation:
Department of Public Health, Second University of Rome Medical School, and The Gregor Mendel Institute for Medical Genetics and Twin Research, Rome
*
Institute of Human Genetics, Medical Faculty, Free University, Van der Boechorststraat 7, 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Abstract

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Recent changes in the estimated incidence of monozygotic twinning in 15 European populations are described. The overall trend was an increase in the monozygotic twinning rate (MZTR) since the 1960s, particularly in those countries in which the use of oral contraceptives (OC) was widespread. A slower increase or even a decrease in the MZTR was observed in countries with low use of OC. Some countries, eg, Sweden, demonstrated an unexpectedly sharp increase since the 1960s. In Poland and the Federal Republic of Germany the MZTR was already strongly increasing as early as in the 1950s, clearly before the introduction of the pill. The influence of several other factors on the MZTR is discussed, such as toxic and teratogenic agents, pelvic infection diseases caused by the use of intrauterine devices, the increased use of ovulation inducers and neuroleptics as well as changes in the registration of perinatal deaths.

Keywords

Monozygotic twinning rateLongitudinal trendOral contraceptives
Type
Research Article
Information
Acta geneticae medicae et gemellologiae: twin research , Volume 36 , Issue 3 , July 1987 , pp. 397 - 408
Copyright
Copyright © The International Society for Twin Studies 1987

References

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