Question

Statement1: Monozygotic twins have a similar fingerprint pattern but not identical.
Statement 2: As the number of foetuses increases from twin, triplet, quadruplet, the expected duration of pregnancy decreases

Choose the correct option.

• A. Both the statements are true
• B. Statement 1 is true and statement 2 is false
• C. Statement 1 is false and statement 2 is true
• D. Both the statements are false

Answer 1

The correct option is A Both the statements are true

Monozygotic twins share the same genetic makeup because they originate from the same single-celled zygote.

The fingerprints of identical twins may be very similar but are not identical. There is a very high correlation of loops, whorls and ridges in monozygotic twins.

Fingerprints are not entirely genetic characteristics. They are determined by the interactions of the genes in the developmental environment of the womb. Its patterns are set between the 13th and 19th weeks of the developing embryo.

Differences in umbilical cord length, access to nutrition, blood pressure, rate of finger growth at the end of the first trimester, position in the womb are all environmental factors that influence the pattern of fingerprints.

In humans, the duration of pregnancy ranges from 37 weeks to 47 weeks from the time of the last menstrual period. Twin pregnancies occasionally progress to 40 weeks or lesser. As the number of foetuses increases, the expected duration of the pregnancy decreases. The average duration is 35 weeks for twins, 33 weeks for triplet, and 31 weeks for quadruplets.