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Home / Equine Research Bank / Vet Sci / Birth of a Healthy Monozygotic Twin Foal with Hydrops and a ...
Veterinary sciences2024; 11(12); 649; doi: 10.3390/vetsci11120649

Birth of a Healthy Monozygotic Twin Foal with Hydrops and a Dead Co-Twin.

Abstract: Transfer of in vitro-produced (IVP) equine embryos is associated with a higher incidence of monozygotic multiple pregnancies, but this remains a rarity. The outcome of monozygotic twin gestation is poor, and good management techniques are lacking. In addition, hydrops conditions are exceptional in horses, with hydroallantois occurring more frequently than hydramnion. Most hydrops conditions will lead to compromise or death of the foal and mare. A 6-year-old multiparous standardbred recipient mare, 332 days pregnant, diagnosed with a monozygotic twin and hydrops with a dead co-twin, gave birth with an assisted vaginal delivery. The dead foal, previously determined at 9 months by ultrasound, turned out to have the dimensions and hair corresponding to an 8-month-old foal. The other foal was born alive and considered healthy and normal-sized for its age. Both mare and foal were discharged from the clinic one week after parturition. This report is the first to describe the birth of a healthy foal born from a monozygotic twin pregnancy in the presence of hydrops, following transfer of a single IVP equine embryo. In addition, it is rare to find a non-macerated, non-mummified dead co-twin after fetal death at 8 months together with a healthy full-term foal.
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Publication Date: 2024-12-13 PubMed ID: 39728989PubMed Central: PMC11680335DOI: 10.3390/vetsci11120649Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

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This research reports the first-known birth of a healthy foal, part of a pair of identical twins, from in vitro-produced equine embryos, which also had a rare condition called hydrops. The birth was successful despite the death of the other twin in the womb.

Background and Case Overview

  • The research is based on the case of a 6-year-old multiparous standardbred recipient mare that was 332 days pregnant. The mare was diagnosed with a monozygotic, or identical, twin pregnancy and also had “hydrops” which is a rare condition in horses.
  • This pregnancy situation is rare as the transfer of in vitro-produced (IVP) equine embryos usually results in a higher incidence of identical multiple pregnancies. However, the prognosis of such identical twin pregnancies is normally poor and there is a lack of effective management techniques.
  • The hydrops condition, which the mare also experienced, is rare in horses. Of the hydrops conditions, hydroallantois is more common than hydramnion. In most cases, hydrops conditions compromise the wellbeing of the mare and the foal, often leading to the death of both.

Clinical Outcomes and Findings

  • In this case, despite the twin pregnancy and hydrops condition, the mare gave birth through assisted vaginal delivery. The other foal had died in the womb, an event that had been determined by ultrasound at the ninth month of pregnancy.
  • The dead foal, upon extraction, was found to have dimensions and hair characteristics corresponding to an eight-month-old foal, suggesting that it had died approximately a month before the mare gave birth.
  • The surviving foal was healthy and normal-sized for its age. Both the mare and the healthy foal were discharged from the clinic a week after delivery.

Significance of the Research

  • This case is notable because it is the first reported instance of a healthy foal being born from an identical twin pregnancy in a mare with hydrops, following the transfer of a single in-vitro produced equine embryo.
  • Additionally, it is rare to find a non-macerated, non-mummified dead twin in the womb after fetal death at eight months, together with a healthy full-term foal.

Cite This Article

APA
Peere S, Van den Branden E, Broothaers K, Polfliet E, Smits K, Govaere J. (2024). Birth of a Healthy Monozygotic Twin Foal with Hydrops and a Dead Co-Twin. Vet Sci, 11(12), 649. https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci11120649

Publication

Veterinary sciences
ISSN: 2306-7381
NlmUniqueID: 101680127
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 11
Issue: 12
PII: 649

Researcher Affiliations

Peere, Sofie
  • Department of Internal Medicine, Reproduction and Population Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
Van den Branden, Emma
  • Department of Internal Medicine, Reproduction and Population Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
Broothaers, Klaartje
  • Department of Internal Medicine, Reproduction and Population Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
Polfliet, Ellen
  • Department of Internal Medicine, Reproduction and Population Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
Smits, Katrien
  • Department of Internal Medicine, Reproduction and Population Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
Govaere, Jan
  • Department of Internal Medicine, Reproduction and Population Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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