Twin embryos in mares. II: Post fixation embryo reduction

Recent findings on the development and natural outcome of twins from Day 17 (immediately after fixation) to Day 40 are reviewed. Incidence of embryo reduction was increased significantly when the vesicles became fixed unilaterally, rather than bilaterally, and when the vesicles were unequal in diameter. Of 68 mares with twins on the day of fixation, post fixation embryo reduction occurred in 41 (60 per cent). The incidence of reduction was 41 of 48 (85 per cent) following unilateral fixation; reduction occurred in all of 22 mares with vesicles of dissimilar size (4 mm or more difference in diameter) and in 19 (73 per cent) of 26 mares with vesicles of similar size (0 to 3 mm difference). Embryo reductions were complete (vesicle no longer visible ultrasonically) by Day 20 (59 per cent of the reductions), during Days 21 and 30 (27 per cent), or Days 31 to 38 (14 per cent). In 80 per cent of the early reductions (by Day 20) the eliminated vesicle disappeared within one day. Reductions that occurred after Day 20 were preceded by a gradual decrease in size. As the number of days after Day 17 increased, the frequency of reduction decreased and the time required for completion of reduction increased. When the twins were dissimilar in diameter (4 mm or more), they were more likely to undergo reduction by Day 20. In summary, dissimilarity in diameter increased the likelihood of unilateral fixation, increased the incidence of reduction for unilaterally fixed vesicles, hastened the day of occurrence of reduction and shortened the interval from initiation to completion of reduction. The deprivation hypothesis proposes that embryo reduction occurs when a major portion of the three walled area of the yolk sac or the vascularised wall of the yolk sac or allantoic sac is in apposition with the wall of the adjacent vesicle rather than with the endometrium; the vesicle is deprived of adequate embryonal-maternal exchange and therefore regresses.