Heteropaternal superfecundation in dizygotic twins: a case report and literature review.

IF 1.5 4区医学 Q2 MEDICINE, LEGAL

Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology Pub Date : 2025-07-24 DOI:10.1007/s12024-025-01046-z

Yanina Timasheva, Ilsiyar Tuktarova

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Purpose: Superfecundation, the fertilization of two oocytes by different spermatozoa within the same ovulatory cycle, can result in monopaternal or heteropaternal dizygotic twins. While monopaternal superfecundation is more common, heteropaternal superfecundation is rare and typically seen in disputed paternity cases. This study presents a case of heteropaternal superfecundation confirmed through forensic DNA analysis and reviews its occurrence in existing literature.

Methods: A forensic investigation was conducted in a court-ordered paternity case involving dizygotic twins, their mother, and an alleged father. Buccal swab samples were collected and analyzed using multiplex amplification of 19 STR markers and the amelogenin locus. A second DNA test confirmed the results. Additionally, a dataset of 2,679 paternity tests over 10 years was examined to estimate paternity exclusion rates in twin cases.

Results: Genetic analysis confirmed the alleged father's paternity of twin 1 but not twin 2, with 14 out of 19 STR loci showing absent alleles in twin 2. The 10-year dataset showed 553 paternity exclusions (20.64% of cases), with 31 involving twins, of which one case (3.23%) was identified as heteropaternal superfecundation. No significant difference was found between paternity exclusion rates in twin and non-twin cases.

Conclusions: This case underscores the value of forensic genetic testing in detecting heteropaternal superfecundation, a rare occurrence with legal and social implications. Advances in DNA analysis may lead to more frequent identification of such cases.

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异卵双生子异父超受精一例报告及文献复习。

目的：超受精是指两个卵母细胞在同一排卵周期内由不同的精子受精，可产生单卵或异卵异卵双胞胎。虽然单父超级受精更常见，但异父超级受精很罕见，通常见于有争议的父权案件。本文报道一例经法医DNA分析证实的异父超受精，并回顾其在现有文献中的发生情况。方法：法医调查进行了法院命令的亲子案件涉及双卵双胞胎，他们的母亲，和据称的父亲。采集口腔拭子样本，对19个STR标记和淀粉原蛋白位点进行多重扩增分析。第二次DNA测试证实了这一结果。此外，研究人员还研究了10年来2679次亲子鉴定的数据集，以估计双胞胎病例的亲子排除率。结果：遗传分析证实了所谓的父亲是双胞胎1的父亲，而不是双胞胎2,19个STR位点中有14个显示双胞胎2缺少等位基因。10年的数据显示553例父亲排除（20.64%的病例），其中31例涉及双胞胎，其中1例（3.23%）被确定为异父超受精。在双胞胎和非双胞胎病例中，父权排除率无显著差异。结论：本案例强调了法医基因检测在发现异父超受精中的价值，这是一种罕见的现象，具有法律和社会意义。DNA分析的进步可能会导致更频繁地识别这类病例。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology MEDICINE, LEGAL-PATHOLOGY

CiteScore

3.90

自引率

5.60%

发文量

114

审稿时长

6-12 weeks

期刊介绍： Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology encompasses all aspects of modern day forensics, equally applying to children or adults, either living or the deceased. This includes forensic science, medicine, nursing, and pathology, as well as toxicology, human identification, mass disasters/mass war graves, profiling, imaging, policing, wound assessment, sexual assault, anthropology, archeology, forensic search, entomology, botany, biology, veterinary pathology, and DNA. Forensic Science, Medicine, and Pathology presents a balance of forensic research and reviews from around the world to reflect modern advances through peer-reviewed papers, short communications, meeting proceedings and case reports.