We may have a lost twin brother and not know it: How it happens – The test that reveals it

Researchers abroad made an original researchfrom which they made a test so people can find out if they have twin brother, regardless of whether they subsequently divorced, or whether only one child was born.

THE Jeffrey Craig who is a lecturer in epigenetic and cellular biology at Deakin University School of Medicine and deputy director of Twins Research Australia spoke to bbc.com and stated that he did not participate in the research, but because he is professionally related to the subject, he commented on a scientific level on the findings of his colleagues.

That said, a team of researchers has found a way to find out if they were ever an identical twin, regardless of whether the other person is still alive or missing before they were born. In fact, the accuracy of the method is about 60-80%according to Craig.

According to what he noted, scientists initially began research to identify the reasons why the human body “signals” to create identical twins. However, they concluded that it could several people were born or were to be born as identical twins and did not know it.

Features, the possibilities to be a twin is bigger than many imagine. The percentage of twins among live births is only about 1.3%, however, up to 12% of all pregnancies can naturally start as twin pregnancies.

At the same time, those who are left-handers may be even more likelywhy twins are more likely to be left-handed. Thus, while 9% of the general population are left-handed, 15% of identical twins and 12% of non-identical twins are left-handed.

Because one of the twins “disappears”

According to the BBC, scientists have developed various theories about the reasons why a twin child “disappears” during pregnancy, and in fact sometimes there may be “no” evidence, ie it is quite difficult to locate. Typically, the post states that if a twin disappears before 12 weeks, the mother is unlikely to know because ultrasounds are rarely done so early.

“Something could happen to a fetus or the mother may not have enough space“, Says the Nancy L Segal, a psychology professor specializing in twin studies at California State University, Fullerton. «The womb is designed for one baby, not two. “It could just be a correction to ensure the health of the surviving twin,” he added.

Also, the Jenny van Dongen one of the researchers who conducted the research, noted that “in medical terms, it is called”missing twins syndrome“Because in an early ultrasound there are two heartbeats, but later one of them seems to disappear.” “However, those who have lost a twin pregnancy prefer to call it a stillbirth,” she said.

However, in some cases there are visible remnants of the other duo. A rare phenomenon known as fetus papyraceus the “embryo from a paper dollDescribes one mummified fetus that died before the age of 10 weeks. It is flattened between the membranes of the living twin and the wall of the uterus, and occurs in 1 in 12,000 pregnancies.

An even rarer phenomenon is called embryo-to-embryo or “parasitic duo“, when one duo is absorbed into the other and parts of this twin remain in the other. Fetus to embryo is extremely rare. It occurs in about one in 500,000 live births and only 200 cases have been reported worldwide.

The conclusion of the study

The scientists who did this original study, said that the test they created to check if someone was a twin, still needs testingbut may work.

However, the scientific community is divided, because some scientists report that we know little about twins, making it difficult to draw a clear conclusion.

Also, the Judith Hallan honorary professor at the University of British Columbia, where she has been studying twins for 50 years and is considered a world authority in genetics and pediatrics, described the research as “a romantic idea». “As a scientist, I remain open to the evidence that it could be possible, but so far I have not seen it,” he added.