»  Why should I test my twins for zygosity?  (Back)

Many parents are given misinformation at the time of their twins' birth based on an incomplete or erroneous examination of the placenta. Unless the twins are of different sexes (with extremely rare exceptions) or inside a single amniotic sac, examining the babies or the placenta with the naked eye is not very helpful.

Most often zygosity testing is used to satisfy curiosity, however there are medical reasons to perform the testing. Because monozygotic twins have the same genetic code, they may be able to help each other in extreme medical circumstances. Usually, identical twins have the same blood type so they could share blood in emergencies. In the event of organ transplantation, identical twins would have the best chance for organ acceptance.

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