Can twins that develop in separate sacs but share the same placenta be identical?
Yes, twins that develop in separate sacs but share the same placenta can be identical. These types of twins are known as monochorionic diamniotic twins.
During the early stages of pregnancy, a fertilized egg can split and form two embryos. In the case of monochorionic diamniotic twins, the splitting occurs after the formation of the inner cell mass, which will eventually develop into separate sacs, known as amniotic sacs. However, these twins share a single placenta.
The placenta is an organ that develops in the uterus during pregnancy, allowing the exchange of nutrients, oxygen, and waste products between the mother and the developing fetus. In monochorionic diamniotic twins, the placenta forms as a result of the splitting of the fertilized egg and is shared between the two embryos.
Despite having separate amniotic sacs, twins sharing the same placenta have a high chance of being identical. This is because the splitting of the fertilized egg occurs early in development, before significant genetic differences can arise. As a result, the twins will have nearly identical DNA, making them monozygotic (identical) twins.
It is important to note that while most monochorionic diamniotic twins are identical, there can be rare cases where non-identical (dizygotic) twins also share the same placenta. In these cases, separate fertilized eggs implant close together and develop with a shared placenta. However, they will have different genetic material and will be fraternal (non-identical) twins.
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