Organ Composition in Newborn Parabiotic Twins with Speculation Regarding Neonatal Hypoglycemia

Donor twins in the monovular placental transfusion syndrome have organs which are significantly different than those found in their better nourished recipient partners. The malnourished donors have disproportionate reductions in the size of liver, pancreas, and fetal adrenal cortex. Liver and adrenal abnormalities are due to a reduced mass of cytoplasm of individual parenchymal cells. The mass of pancreatic islet tissue was as great as that found in well nourished neonates of the same gestational age. All of these anatomic changes have possible implications for neonatal carbohydrate metabolism.