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Throughout the human history, multiple pregnancies (multiple birth) aroused interest and mentioned in many legends. Multiple pregnancies (twins, triplets, quadruplets etc) used to be fairly uncommon. However, with the advent of IVF treatment, multiple pregnancies are becoming more commonplace.
Multiple Pregnancies (Multiple Birth) – Being pregnant with twins, triplets and more
Generally, it occurs as a consequence of many egg cell (oocyte) fertilized with same number of sprems. In this case, there are many genetically differentiated embryos. Two-thirds of these multiple pregnancies are inthis manner. Colloquially, this is called dizygotic twins (Polyzygotic or non-identical).
Sometimes a fertilized egg may be fissionable during development and a couple of embryos having same genetic characteristics may occur. This rare multiple pregnancy form (one-third) called as maternal twin (monozygotic or identical). Approximately 1% of pregnancies are multiple pregnancies. As well as being a lovely surprise, a multiple pregnancy does carry added risks and as such should be closely monitored.
Factors increasing multiple pregnancy possibility;
- twin pregnancy in family,
Storing Cord Blood
The baby’s life inside the uterus is connected to the placenta through the umbilical cord. Placenta is the organ which provides the transaction of nutrition and oxygen between the mother and the baby. This organ completes its function right after birth and is discharged from the uterus. After birth, the blood left between the placenta and the cord is called “cord blood”. The special characteristic of this blood is that it is different from the blood in the baby’s veins and it contains stem cells which are used in blood production. Stem cell resources, other than that of the cord blood, to be used for stem cell transplantation include bone marrow and peripheral blood (in our arms). The most important feature of stem cells is their ability to turn into any tissue or organ when right conditions are provided. The aim of storing cord blood is that it provides an option for the treatment of probable severe diseases during a child’s growth. Another, maybe a more important reason is that in the future cord blood banks are thought to be founded and with the consent of the stem cell owners, blood stored there will be used for people in need according to their tissue type.