Vol 7 Issue 3
Focus on Education and Support for Parents of Twins
IN THIS ISSUE:
- Importance of zygosity knowledge for parents of twins
- Navigating the twin bond
- Breastfeeding twins
- Sleep patterns of twins
- Care for twins, triplets and more across the UK
- Improving health outcomes for twins, multiples and their families
- Where next for the Critical 1000 Days?
Author: Jeffrey M. Craig, Tessa L. Cutler, Kate Murphy, Monica Rankin, Jane Denton,
Deborah Schofield, Margaret Otlowski, Mark P. Umstad, Susan E. Carrick
Author title: Description: Accurate knowledge of zygosity is important for a range of reasons; yet incorrect information on whether twins are monozygotic or dizygotic is still given to twins and their parents. Why zygosity testing is so important medically, socially, financially and ethically.
Description writer: Jeffrey M. Craig, School of Medicine, Deakin University; Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Australia
Tessa L. Cutler, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Australia
Kate Murphy, Twins Research Australia, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Australia
Monica Rankin, Chairperson, International Council of Multiple Birth Organisations, Australia
Jane Denton, Director, Multiple Births Foundation, Queen Charlotte’s & Chelsea Hospital, London, UK
Deborah Schofield, Director, GenIMPACT: Centre for Economic Impacts of Genomic Medicine and Chair of Health Economics, Macquarie University, Australia
Margaret Otlowski, Pro Vice Chancellor, Culture, Wellbeing and Sustainability, University of Tasmania
Mark P. Umstad, Director of Maternity Services, Royal Women’s Hospital, Melbourne, University of Melbourne Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Victoria, Australia
Susan E. Carrick, The Charles Perkins Centre’s Twin Research Node, University of Sydney, Australia
Author: Natasha Fenwick
Author title: Research and Resources Officer
Description: The BeCOME survey (Twins Trust, 2020) was conducted by Twins Trust to provide a picture of care across the UK for twin and triplet pregnancies. The charity is able to identify where changes may need to be made, in line with the Saving Babies’ Lives Care Bundle Version Two (NHS England, 2019).
Description writer: Research and Resources Officer, Twins Trust
Author: Lucas Calais-Ferreira, Janine Lam and Sue Malta
Description: Twin research; In this article, we briefly summarise existing research and literature gaps, and present Australian and global initiatives, to improve the quality of evidence and identify future research areas that should be prioritised.
Description writer: Twins Research Australia, Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
Author: Joan A. Friedman
Description: Help cultivate a heathy twinship and a harmonious parent-child relationship while still nurturing the unique sibling bond. rather than two separate people. Encouraging individuality when all too often, twins are known as ‘the twins’.
Description writer: Institute of Contemporary Psychoanalysis, Los Angeles, USA
Author: The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine (summarised by Mary Nolan, Editor)
Description: The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine Protocol #6: ‘Bedsharing and Breastfeeding’ contains important information for all health professionals and voluntary and community sector workers with responsibility for families during the critical 1000 days.
