Biomaterial Database

Within-pair differences in newborn twins: effects of gender and gestational age on behavior. 1984

M L Riese

The behavior of 120 full term and 160 preterm newborn twins was assessed in several key areas: Irritability, soothability, reactivity, reinforcement value, and activity level. Infants were assessed during various situations so that aggregate, or summary, scores representing each behavioral area could be obtained. Evaluations were made during a feeding period, an active sleep period, an awake alert period during which orienting and interactional behaviors were observed, a quiet period during which reactivity to stress was observed, and any fussy periods during which irritability and soothability were assessed. Significant within-twin-pair concordance of behavior was obtained for each of the areas of behavior, suggesting the influence of constitutional variables on neonatal behavior. Analysis of these data by sex resulted in significant within-pair concordance of behavior for same-sex but not for opposite-sex twins. The actual ratings on these behaviors differentiated between full term and preterm infants. Increased behavioral deviance was observed with increasing prematurity in the areas of soothability and activity level. The results are discussed in terms of increased risk factors for preterm twins.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007231	Infant, Newborn	An infant during the first 28 days after birth.	Neonate,Newborns,Infants, Newborn,Neonates,Newborn,Newborn Infant,Newborn Infants
D007234	Infant, Premature	A human infant born before 37 weeks of GESTATION.	Neonatal Prematurity,Premature Infants,Preterm Infants,Infant, Preterm,Infants, Premature,Infants, Preterm,Premature Infant,Prematurity, Neonatal,Preterm Infant
D008297	Male		Males
D011247	Pregnancy	The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH.	Gestation,Pregnancies
D002652	Child Behavior	Any observable response or action of a child from 24 months through 12 years of age. For neonates or children younger than 24 months, INFANT BEHAVIOR is available.	Behavior, Child
D005260	Female		Females
D005824	Genetics, Behavioral	The experimental study of the relationship between the genotype of an organism and its behavior. The scope includes the effects of genes on simple sensory processes to complex organization of the nervous system.	Psychogenetics,Behavioral Genetics
D005865	Gestational Age	The age of the conceptus, beginning from the time of FERTILIZATION. In clinical obstetrics, the gestational age is often estimated from the onset of the last MENSTRUATION which is about 2 weeks before OVULATION and fertilization. It is also estimated to begin from fertilization, estrus, coitus, or artificial insemination.	Embryologic Age,Fetal Maturity, Chronologic,Chronologic Fetal Maturity,Fetal Age,Maturity, Chronologic Fetal,Age, Embryologic,Age, Fetal,Age, Gestational,Ages, Embryologic,Ages, Fetal,Ages, Gestational,Embryologic Ages,Fetal Ages,Gestational Ages
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D012737	Sex Factors	Maleness or femaleness as a constituent element or influence contributing to the production of a result. It may be applicable to the cause or effect of a circumstance. It is used with human or animal concepts but should be differentiated from SEX CHARACTERISTICS, anatomical or physiological manifestations of sex, and from SEX DISTRIBUTION, the number of males and females in given circumstances.	Factor, Sex,Factors, Sex,Sex Factor