ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Page Count: 3

Superfecundation and Dual Paternity in a Twin Pregnancy Ending with Placental Abruption
Brezinka, C
University of Innsbruck,

Ambach, E
Institute for Forensic Medicine, University of Innsbruck,

Parson, W
Institute for Forensic Medicine, University of Innsbruck,

(Received 26 January 1999; accepted 7 May 1999)

Abstract

A case of superfecundation and dual paternity in a twin pregnancy is presented. Placental abruption developed at week 33 of gestation and the two boys had to be saved by emergency cesarean section. As they shared one placenta, had almost identical weight and had the same sex, they were assumed to be monozygotic. However, a subsequent paternity suit led to the conclusion, based on DNA-analysis, that the twin brothers had been fathered by two different men. Obstetrical implications are discussed.

Keywords:
forensic science, superfecundation, paternity testing, DNA-analysis, twin pregnancy, dual paternity, twinning, placenta

Paper ID: JFS14656J
DOI: 10.1520/JFS14656J
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