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[A case of a dizygotic twin pregnancy where superfetation seems indisputable].

A case of superfoetation is presented. Difference of age (3 weeks) between twins was established by ultrasound at 10 weeks, and persisted through subsequent echographic surveillance up to delivery at 39 of amenorrhea with twin 39 and 36 weeks old. Only three publications in recent international literature are related to superfoetation. An attempt is made to try to understand superfoetation and to clearly differentiate it from superovulation.

Adult↗

Anomalous litters in hybrid mice and the retention of spermatozoa in the female tract.

Suspected superfetation was investigated in a Glasgow hybrid stock of mice. The male was removed either (i) a few days before parturition, or (ii) immediately after mating and on 23 and 25 occasions, respectively, a second litter was born. Members of the anomalous litters were inbred for 10 generations, but the incidence of supernumerary litters did not increase beyond 2-5%. The anterior part of over 500 reproductive tracts, at various stages of pregnancy and after parturition, were serially sectioned but a second set of embryos was not found. The second gestation was of normal length and superfetation was not therefore considered to be the cause of the anomalous litters. In two females, one non-pregnant and one pregnant, spermatozoa were found in the uterus and oviducts 8 days after mating and in distended uterine glands 15 days after mating respectively. It is concluded that the anomalous litters were derived from the fertilization of eggs ovulated at the post-partum oestrus by spermatozoa which had been retained in the female tract for at least 23 days.

Animals↗

Interbirth interval and duration of pregnancy in hares.

The possibility of inducing superfetation in hares by artificial insemination (AI) was investigated. AI performed on various days during the second half of gestation did not result in new pregnancies, but all ongoing pregnancies were terminated 1-4 days after AI. We suggest that copulation during the last week of pregnancy, common among captive hares, may have a similar effect to that of AI in terminating pregnancies and inducing early deliveries. Intervals between successive deliveries that are shorter than the normal duration of gestation do not necessarily indicate superfetation and this phenomenon may be rare among hares in captivity as well as in the wild.

Abortion, Veterinary↗

Clinical report: Recovery of a degenerating 14-day embryo in the uterine flush of a mare 7 days after ovulation.

A 15-mm diameter degenerating embryonic vesicle and a normal, 200-u early blastocyst were recovered in a uterine flush of a mare 7 d after ovulation. From its size, the degenerating vesicle appeared to be 13 to 14 d of age. The mare had been bred during a previous cycle and then treated with prostaglandin 9 days after ovulation. The advanced vesicle that was recovered suggests that a conceptus from the previous cycle continued to grow for about 5 d after prostaglandin administration, and remained in the uterus during estrus, when plasma progesterone concentrations were below 1 ng/ml. From the estimated age of the conceptus, its development stopped at about the time the mare was inseminated. Had this conceptus survived through estrus and insemination, superfetation would have occurred.

Journal Article↗

Clinical management of pregnancy in cats.

Average gestation length in domestic cats is 65.6 days, with a range of 52-74 days. Average reported litter size is 4.0 kittens per litter; litter size is not correlated with number of matings in a given estrus. Superfecundation is common in domestic cats; superfetation never has been definitively proven to occur. Eclampsia may occur during pregnancy in queens, with non-specific clinical signs. Ectopic pregnancy and uterine torsion have been reported. Pregnancy loss may be due to infectious causes, including bacteria, viruses or protozoa, or non-infectious causes, such as hypoluteoidism and chromosome errors.

Abortion, Veterinary↗

Multiple paternity and population genetic structure in natural populations of the poeciliid fish, Heterandria formosa.

Heterandria formosa Agassiz, exhibits internal fertilization, internal brooding of embryos, sperm storage and an extreme level of superfetation. In this study we used microsatellite markers to examine variation among seven populations that exhibited significant variance in their histories of population density. We found that the populations were genetically distinct and that the heterozygosity increased as population density increased. We also examined paternity in three of those populations and found that the number of sires per female and the number of sires per brood increased with population density. Overall, the rates of multiple paternity are quite low relative to other species. The correlations with population density suggest that contact rates play a critical role in the breeding system in this species but the low rates of multiple paternity suggest that females may exert control over fertilization of their ova.

Animals↗

Why the healing gods are twins.

The association of twins with health-giving powers is widespread in mythology, folklore, and religion. The Ashvins of the Rig-Veda, the classical Dioscuri, and the early Christian saints Cosmos and Damian are among the many examples of twins divinely empowered in the area of health and fertility. A characteristic set of attributes of twins recurs in different mythologies of wide distribution. In addition to healing, divine twins are often empowered with the ability to revive the dead, increase the fertility of man, animals, and crops, influence the weather, predict the future, and insure victory in battle. In some traditional societies these special attributes are thought to extend to all of the twins and their parents in the tribe.Ancient and primitive societies supposed that the birth of twins was associated with divine influence, the mother having been visited or otherwise affected by supernatural powers. A frequent explanation was that twins were the result of superfetation, a divine impregnation occurring along with that by the lawful husband. The specific powers of divine twins appear to be a reflection of the particular form of origin of twins through divine interference with the fertilization process. The twins thus share some of the powers of the divine parent, particularly those pertaining to fertility. Their dual paternity and its inherent competition is related to their martial interests as well as their ability to resolve ambivalent or ambiguous situations and predict outcomes.

Asia, Western↗

[Combined intra-uterine and ectopic pregnancy following the treatment with clomiphen (author's transl)].

Report on a case of combined pregnancy in a 25 year old patient who was treated with Clomiphen for anovulatory cycles. The left tubal pregnancy was removed at 12 weeks gestation. The intra-uterine pregnancy resulted in a term delivery of a 3 kg. 670 g. normal infant. Combined pregnancies rarely occur without treatment with ovulation inducing agents by superfecundation and superfetation. Ovulation inducing agents increase the theoretical possibility of combined pregnancy. Obstetricians should be alert to the possibility of combined pregnancy following induction of ovulation.

Adult↗