How do twins form?

By special computer software, people have taken pictures continuously (every 2 minutes) for 33 large embryos and for the first time recorded the early development of twin embryos.

The discovery by Dr. Dianna Payne, in collaboration with Mio Reproductive Hospital, Japan and colleagues can help improve many artificial reproduction techniques.

Payne and colleagues found twins formed after a " collapse " of the embryo, causing the original cells to split into two. This causes the same genetic material to drift to the two halves of the embryo, and eventually the two independent embryos form.

Scientists believe that this report is interesting because it records the continuous development of the fetus and opens a new perspective on the process of embryo separation, which was previously conjectured.

While conducting the study, Payne could also explain why in vitro fertilization techniques are more likely to produce twins. For natural reproduction, there are about 3 out of every 1000 pregnancies. But with IVF, in 1,000 cases, there were 21 twins.

Payne argues that it may be the difference between laboratory conditions and the maternal uterus environment that causes IVF cases to have more multiple pregnancies.

Payne also surmised that with further research, doctors could find a way to predict which embryos would split into twins. Because multiple pregnancies are more dangerous than giving birth to a child, experts also suggest that the success rate of artificial reproduction will increase if multiple pregnancies are avoided.

The study was presented at the meeting of the European Association for Embryology and Reproduction, which took place Monday in Lyon, France.

T. An