Community perceptions on causes of high dizygotic twinning rate in Igbo-Ora, South-west Nigeria: A qualitative study

Autor: Lorretta Ntoimo, Akhere Omonkhua, Austin I. Aruomaren, Friday Okonofua, Roseangela I. Nwuba, Ayodeji Matthew Adebayo
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2020
Předmět:
Male
0301 basic medicine
Health Care Providers
Culture
Flour
Twins
Social Sciences
Igbo
Epigenesis
Genetic
Geographical Locations
0302 clinical medicine
Sociology
Pregnancy
Health care
Twins
Dizygotic
Medicine and Health Sciences
Qualitative Research
media_common
030219 obstetrics & reproductive medicine
Multidisciplinary
Eukaryota
Focus Groups
Plants
Key informants
language
Medicine
Female
Crystal twinning
Psychology
Research Article
Adult
media_common.quotation_subject
Science
Nigeria
03 medical and health sciences
Perception
Humans
Social Stratification
Nutrition
Cassava
business.industry
Organisms
Biology and Life Sciences
Feeding Behavior
Focus group
Social stratification
language.human_language
Diet
Health Care
030104 developmental biology
Food
People and Places
Africa
Shrubs
business
Developmental Biology
Demography
Qualitative research
Zdroj: PLoS ONE, Vol 15, Iss 12, p e0243169 (2020)
PLoS ONE
ISSN: 1932-6203
Popis: Background Dizygotic (DZ, non-identical) twinning rates vary widely across different regions in the world. With a DZ twinning rate of 45 per 1000 live births, Igbo-Ora Community in South-west Nigeria has the highest dizygotic (DZ) twinning rate in the world. Although several postulations exist on the causes of high DZ twinning rates in Igbo-Ora, no study has yet been conclusive on a definite causative agent. Objective Using qualitative methods, this study explored the perceptions and beliefs of Igbo-Ora residents about the causes of high DZ twinning rates. Methods Focus group discussion sessions and key informant interviews were organized among fathers and mothers of twins, those without twins, and health care providers. Key informant interviews were also held with persons considered to be custodians of culture who may have knowledge relevant to twinning such as traditional rulers, and traditional birth attendants; as well as health care providers, mothers and fathers of twins, and adult twins. Results The results showed three factors featuring as the leading perceived causes of twinning in the community. These included twinning being an act of God, hereditary, and being due to certain foods consumed in the community. Contrary to reports that the consumption of a species of yam (Dioscorea rotundata) may be responsible for the DZ twinning in this Community; yam was not prioritized by the respondents as associated with twinning. In contrast, participants repeatedly mentioned the consumption of “ilasa” a soup prepared with okra leaves (Abelmoschus esculenta) with water that is obtained from the community, and “amala” a local delicacy produced from cassava (Manihot esculenta) as the most likely dietary factors responsible for twinning in the community. Conclusion Since the same foods are consumed in neighboring communities that have lower rates of twinning, we conjecture that nutritional and other environmental factors may produce epigenetic modifications that influence high DZ twinning rates in Igbo-Ora community. We conclude that more directed scientific studies based on these findings are required to further elucidate the etiology of the high rate of DZ twinning in Igbo-Ora.
Databáze: OpenAIRE
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