The effect of twin sex on menstrual characteristics
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Authors
Kowynia, Elizabeth
Jahanfar, Shayesteh
Issue Date
2020-04
Type
Article
Language
en_US
Keywords
Menstruation , Period , Twin Sex , Hormones
Alternative Title
Abstract
Background and objectives: The purpose of this project is to evaluate the association between twin sex discordance and menstrual characteristics. We hypothesize that sharing the uterus with a male twin can change ovulation programming, hence changing the menstrual cycle characteristics during adulthood. This project could be novel in discovering new physiological mechanisms of hormone exposure and menstrual cycles. Materials and methods: This is a cross-sectional study. We asked females from sex-concordant (n = 1290) and sex-discordant (n = 168) twin pairs in the Washington State Twin Registry about characteristics of menstrual cycles. Generalized Estimating Equation (GEE) analysis was used to compare groups. The main outcome measures included the amount of bleeding, duration of menstruation, the timing of menstruation, length of menstruation, and a number of periods per year. Results: We found a statistically significant association between the amount of menstrual period bleeding and twin sex discordance (0.42 (95% CI 0.18–0.94)). However, twin sex discordance was not associated with period duration, length of menstrual cycle, cycle regularity, or a number of periods per year. Conclusions: Twin sex discordance is not a predictor of clinical characteristics of menstruation during adulthood except for the amount of bleeding. Future studies should focus on the impact of male hormones on the amount of bleeding during menstruation.
Description
Citation
Kowynia, E., & Jahanfar, S. (2020). The Effect of Twin Sex on Menstrual Characteristics. Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania), 56(4), 173. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina56040173
Publisher
Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania)