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Pathology of Twinning

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Fetal and Neonatal Pathology

Twin pregnancies have increased rates of premature labor, pregnancy-induced hypertension, breech lie, cerebral palsy, and perinatal death, among other complications (Kovacs et al. 1989). Some of these complications are due to the poor adaptation of the human uterus to the increased demands and mass of twin pregnancy. Some complications are related to the obstetrical problems of delivering twins, although modern obstetric management greatly reduces these risks. This chapter focuses not on these general problems but on those associated more specifi cally with the formation of twins. The discussion focuses on twins as the simplest unit of multiple gestation. The same considerations usually apply to higher multiples of gestation—triplets, quadruplets, etc. These multiple gestation pregnancies have become more common with the increased use of assisted reproduction techniques (Callahan et al. 1994).

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology, Kosair Children's Hospital, Louisville, KY, USA

    Robert W. Bendon MD

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  1. Robert W. Bendon MD
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Formerly Consultant Paediatric Pathologist Royal Hospital for Sick Children and Royal Infi rmary Edinburgh and Honorary Senior Lecturer, University of Edinburgh, UK

    Jean W. Keeling FRCPath, FRCPEdin, FRCPCH

  2. Women's and Children's Hospital Adelaide and Clinical Professor, University of Adelaide, Australia

    T. Yee Khong MD, FRCPath, FRCPA (Consultant Pathologist) (Consultant Pathologist)

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© 2007 Springer-Verlag London Limited

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Bendon, R.W. (2007). Pathology of Twinning. In: Keeling, J.W., Khong, T.Y. (eds) Fetal and Neonatal Pathology. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84628-743-5_12

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84628-743-5_12

  • Publisher Name: Springer, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-84628-524-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-84628-743-5

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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