Question

A woman gave birth to twins. However, her husband asked for a DNA fingerprinting test as he believed that the babies did not belong to him. The results showed that one baby did not belong to him. This is a case of:

• A. Superfecundation
• B. Superfetation
• C. Atavism
• D. Posthumus child

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

The situation described involves superfecundation. This phenomenon occurs when a woman produces two or more ova in one menstrual cycle and has sexual intercourse with different partners within a short period, resulting in each ovum being fertilized by sperm from different men. As a result, the twins can have different fathers. In the scenario given, the DNA fingerprinting test demonstrates that one of the twins is genetically linked to the husband while the other is not, which is consistent with superfecundation.

Let's break down the options to clarify:

• Superfecundation: The fertilization of two or more ova from the same cycle by sperm from different acts of sexual intercourse, possibly involving different fathers.
• Superfetation: The rare phenomenon where a woman becomes pregnant a second time while already pregnant, leading to fetuses of different gestational ages.
• Atavism: The reappearance of ancestral traits that had disappeared generations ago.
• Posthumus child: A child born after the death of the father.

The only term that correctly explains the instance where each twin has a different biological father is superfecundation. Thus, the correct answer is superfecundation, aligning with the result of the DNA test.