Dual bonanza may come as a welcome surprise for women pregnant with twins. And they are ready to come out with "equal opportunities" for both the babies. And they will not mind making double investments for both of them in minor areas like buying twin baby towels to some really serious businesses like paying monthly deposits for systematic investment plans. A mother's heart after all - a mother cannot give priority to any single, particular finger of her hand.
But some differences may still exist as suggested by Irish researchers. And the difference may lie in the area of measurement of weight. According to the researchers at the Perinatal Ireland and the Royal College of Surgeons, Ireland, twin babies born with a major birth weight difference may suffer from health complications in the future.
The study consisted of 1,001 women with twin pregnancies. The study period was from 2007 to 2009. The findings of the study indicated that a difference of 18 percent or more in the birth weight of twins may invite the risks of neonatal death, infections, breathing difficulties and bowel complications.
"Discordant twins" was the term given to describe twins who had this percentage of birth weight difference. Twins living within the same placenta had the highest risk and the larger twin was found to be at an equal morbidity risk compared to his smaller co-twin.
In simple terms, this 18 percent cut-off denotes the threshold beyond which the risk becomes higher for both the babies. Researchers have suggested that in case this threshold difference in weight gets recognized, closer fetal monitoring should be implemented to ensure the best outcome for the mother and her babies.
