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Case Reports
. 2022 Jul 14;22(1):564.
doi: 10.1186/s12884-022-04866-x.

Rare spontaneous monochorionic dizygotic twins: a case report and a systematic review

Giulia Trombetta  1 , Dora Fabbro  2 , Eliana Demori  2 , Lorenza Driul  1   3 , Giuseppe Damante  4   5 , Serena Xodo  6   7
Affiliations
Case Reports

Rare spontaneous monochorionic dizygotic twins: a case report and a systematic review

Giulia Trombetta et al. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. .

Abstract

Background: Monochorionic dizygotic twins are a rare condition, mostly related to assisted reproductive technology. This type of twinning is burdened by the same risk of pregnancy complications found in monochorionic monozygotic pregnancies.

Case presentation: We report a case of spontaneous monochorionic dizygotic twins sharing situs inversus abdominalis and isolated levocardia, with only one twin affected by biliary atresia with splenic malformation syndrome. We also conducted a literature review of the 14 available documented monochorionic dizygotic twin gestations spontaneously conceived.

Conclusions: It is still unclear how this unusual type of twinning can occur in spontaneous conception. The evidence so far suggest the importance to timely diagnose the chorionicity, in order to adequately manage the typical complications associated with monochorionicity.

Keywords: Biliary atresia splenic malformation; Monochorionic dizygotic twins; Situs inversus.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Situs inversus abdominalis with isolated levocardia of one twin at anomaly scan: stomach lies on the right, whereas the cardiac apex is pointing toward the left
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Cross-section through the placental septal membrane roll demonstrates a septum with two layers of amnion, without intervening central chorion (Hematoxillin-Eosin image obtained using ECLPISE Ni-U equipment, with 10 × magnification, acquired through DS-Fi3 Nikon Digital Camera)
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Abdominal ultrasound at 35 days of extrauterine life of the twin with jaundice: in the liver, a small and atretic gallbladder, not expanding after 3 h fasting, confirmed suspicion of biliary atresia
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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