BACKGROUND: Twinning is a risk factor for birth defects. Using population-based data from the Utah Birth Defect Network and the Utah Department of Health Vital Records, we investigated whether twinning increases the risk of major structural birth defects in live-born opposite-sex (OS) and same-sex (SS) twins as proxies for monozygotic and dizygotic twins, respectively. We also assessed whether maternal age modified the association between twinning and birth defects. METHODS: All resident live-born singleton (n = 492,143) and twin (n = 13,596) infants issued a Utah birth certificate and delivered from 1999 through 2008 were included. Unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios (aORs) with 95% confidence intervals were calculated for each birth defect using unconditional logistic regression. RESULTS: Birth defects were slightly more likely to occur in SS (aOR = 1.94; 95% confidence interval, 1.70-2.21) than OS (aOR = 1.55; 95% confidence interval, 1.27-1.90) twins. The aORs stratified by maternal age did not show a trend for any twin type when calculated for all birth defects combined. However, trends were observed for coarctation, pyloric stenosis, and shaft or penoscrotal hypospadias in OS twins; microcephaly, anotia/microtia, conotruncal defects, membranous ventricular septal defects, pyloric stenosis, all hypospadias, and craniosynostosis in SS twins; and tetralogy of Fallot, right ventricular outflow tract obstructions, renal agenesis/hypoplasia, and craniosynostosis in all twins. CONCLUSION: All twin types have an increased risk for birth defects compared with singletons. SS twins have the highest risk, presumably due to the influence of monozygotic twins. The risk for birth defects in twins was not significantly modified by the mother's age.
BACKGROUND: Twinning is a risk factor for birth defects. Using population-based data from the Utah Birth Defect Network and the Utah Department of Health Vital Records, we investigated whether twinning increases the risk of major structural birth defects in live-born opposite-sex (OS) and same-sex (SS) twins as proxies for monozygotic and dizygotic twins, respectively. We also assessed whether maternal age modified the association between twinning and birth defects. METHODS: All resident live-born singleton (n = 492,143) and twin (n = 13,596) infants issued a Utah birth certificate and delivered from 1999 through 2008 were included. Unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios (aORs) with 95% confidence intervals were calculated for each birth defect using unconditional logistic regression. RESULTS:Birth defects were slightly more likely to occur in SS (aOR = 1.94; 95% confidence interval, 1.70-2.21) than OS (aOR = 1.55; 95% confidence interval, 1.27-1.90) twins. The aORs stratified by maternal age did not show a trend for any twin type when calculated for all birth defects combined. However, trends were observed for coarctation, pyloric stenosis, and shaft or penoscrotal hypospadias in OS twins; microcephaly, anotia/microtia, conotruncal defects, membranous ventricular septal defects, pyloric stenosis, all hypospadias, and craniosynostosis in SS twins; and tetralogy of Fallot, right ventricular outflow tract obstructions, renal agenesis/hypoplasia, and craniosynostosis in all twins. CONCLUSION: All twin types have an increased risk for birth defects compared with singletons. SS twins have the highest risk, presumably due to the influence of monozygotic twins. The risk for birth defects in twins was not significantly modified by the mother's age.
Authors: April L Dawson; Sarah C Tinker; Denise J Jamieson; Charlotte A Hobbs; R J Berry; Sonja A Rasmussen; Marlene Anderka; Kim M Keppler-Noreuil; Angela E Lin; Jennita Reefhuis Journal: J Epidemiol Community Health Date: 2016-06-20 Impact factor: 3.710
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Authors: Romy van de Putte; Iris A L M van Rooij; Cynthia P Haanappel; Carlo L M Marcelis; Han G Brunner; Marie-Claude Addor; Clara Cavero-Carbonell; Carlos M Dias; Elizabeth S Draper; Larraitz Etxebarriarteun; Miriam Gatt; Babak Khoshnood; Agnieszka Kinsner-Ovaskainen; Kari Klungsoyr; Jenny J Kurinczuk; Anna Latos-Bielenska; Karen Luyt; Mary T O'Mahony; Nicola Miller; Carmel Mullaney; Vera Nelen; Amanda J Neville; Isabelle Perthus; Anna Pierini; Hanitra Randrianaivo; Judith Rankin; Anke Rissmann; Florence Rouget; Bruno Schaub; David Tucker; Diana Wellesley; Awi Wiesel; Natalya Zymak-Zakutnia; Maria Loane; Ingeborg Barisic; Hermien E K de Walle; Jorieke E H Bergman; Nel Roeleveld Journal: Birth Defects Res Date: 2020-04-22 Impact factor: 2.344