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Human Reproduction Update Advance Access published online on November 16, 2007
Human Reproduction Update, doi:10.1093/humupd/dmm036
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© The Author 2007. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

Dizygotic twinning

Chantal Hoekstra1,4, Zhen Zhen Zhao2, Cornelius B. Lambalk3, Gonneke Willemsen1, Nicholas G. Martin2, Dorret I. Boomsma1 and Grant W. Montgomery2

1 Department of Biological Psychology, VU University Amsterdam, van der Boechorststraat 1, 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands 2 Molecular and Genetic Epidemiology Laboratories, Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Brisbane, Australia 3 Division of Reproductive Medicine, VU University Amsterdam, Medical Centre (VUMC), 1007 MB Amsterdam, The Netherlands

To whom correspondence should be addressed at: 4 Correspondence address. Tel: +31-20-5988792; Fax: +31-20-5988832; E-mail: c.hoekstra{at}psy.vu.nl

The tendency to conceive spontaneous dizygotic (DZ) twins is a complex trait with important contributions from both environmental factors and genetic disposition. Twins are relatively common and occur on average 13 times per 1000 maternities, though the twinning frequency varies over time and geographic location. This variation is mostly attributed to the differences in DZ twinning rate, since the monozygotic twinning rate is relatively constant. DZ twinning is in part under genetic control, with mothers of DZ twins reporting significantly more female family members with DZ twins than mothers of monozygotic twins. Maternal factors such as genetic history, advanced age and increased parity are known to increase the risk of DZ twins. Recent research confirmed that taller mothers and mothers with a high body mass index (30>) are at greater risk of DZ twinning. Seasonality, smoking, oral contraceptive use and folic acid show less convincing associations with twinning. Genetic analysis is beginning to identify genes contributing to the variation in twinning. Mutations in one of these genes (growth differentiation factor 9) are significantly more frequent in mothers of DZ twins. However, the mutations are rare and only account for a small part of the genetic contribution for twinning.

Key words: twinning frequency / dizygotic twinning / GDP9 / genetic factors / environmental factors

Received on August 14, 2007; revised September 7, 2007; accepted on October 12, 2007


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