The study of fetal neurobehavior in twins in all three trimesters of pregnancy

Abstract

Two types of activities were observed: spontaneous and reactive. Although twins showed less activity and different behavioral pattern than singletons, a considerable proportion of overall motility was due to intertwin contacts.

The role of 4D US in evaluation of fetal movements and facial expressions and their relationship with fetal neurobehaviour

“…Twins showed different behavioural pattern than singletons with less activity and a part of the overall motility was due to inter-twin contacts [30]. The different behavioural pattern of the twins does not translate into brain pathology but maybe into a different reaction to a different environment than singletons.…”

HDlive and 4D Ultrasound in the Assessment of Twin Pregnancy

“…8 The mean timing for touch but no reaction, first reaction and slow body movements was 91 postmenstrual days (13 weeks), that for fast body movements was 92 postmenstrual days (13 weeks and 1 day), and that for more complex contacts was between 93 and 95 postmenstrual days (13 weeks and 2 days to 13 weeks and 4 days). 13 Moreover, diffuse interactions were noticed more often among fetuses between 13 and 16 weeks of gestation. 13 Interestingly, Castiello et al 1 suggested that movements toward the co-twin are not accidental: already starting from the 14th week of gestation, twin fetuses execute movements specifically aimed at the co-twin.…”

“…13 Moreover, diffuse interactions were noticed more often among fetuses between 13 and 16 weeks of gestation. 13 Interestingly, Castiello et al 1 suggested that movements toward the co-twin are not accidental: already starting from the 14th week of gestation, twin fetuses execute movements specifically aimed at the co-twin.…”

“…The first inter-twin contacts assessed by 4D ultrasound appeared at 61 postmenstrual days, and the complexity of inter-twin contacts increased from 84 postmenstrual days. 13 Sasaki et al 6 identified a total of 10 inter-twin contacts (head to head, head to arm, head to trunk, head to leg, arm to arm, arm to trunk, arm to leg, trunk to trunk, trunk to leg and leg to leg) employing 4D ultrasound late in the first trimester of pregnancy (Figs 23A to J). There was a significant difference in the total number of all contacts between MD and DD twins at 10 to 11 weeks' gestation, and there was also a significant difference in the total number of all contacts between 10 to 11 and 12 to 13 weeks' gestation in DD twins.…”

“…Only with the introduction of four-dimensional (4D) ultrasound has the full range of twin fetal developments and inter-twin contacts been investigated in real time. 1,[5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13] HDlive is a new 3D/4D surface-rendering mode, which uses an adjustable light source that facilitates the ability to create lighting and shadowing effects, thereby increasing depth perception. 14 This technique provides such extraordinarily realistic imaging of normal and abnormal embryos and fetuses that it is almost impossible to differentiate between actual photographs and HDlive images.…”