Question:

Confined blood chimerism is associated with which of the following?

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Blood swap needs vascular anastomoses, which exist only in a shared monochorionic placenta.
Updated On: Jun 24, 2026
  • Dichorionic diamniotic twins
  • Monochorionic diamniotic twins
  • Singleton pregnancy
  • Monochorionic monoamniotic twins
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The Correct Option is B

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Define blood chimerism. It is the presence of two genetically distinct cell populations in one individual, here in the blood, arising when blood cells are exchanged between twins in utero.
Step 2: Identify the requirement for blood exchange. Mixing of fetal blood needs vascular anastomoses in a SHARED (monochorionic) placenta. Twins with separate (dichorionic) placentas have no such connections.
Step 3: Explain why it is CONFINED. In confined blood chimerism the foreign cells are limited to the blood (hematopoietic) lineage, because the exchange occurs through shared placental vessels after the hematopoietic system is established, rather than involving all tissues.
Step 4: Match to the option. This requires a monochorionic placenta. Among the choices, monochorionic diamniotic twins are the common monochorionic type that carry vascular anastomoses, so they classically show confined blood chimerism.
Step 5: Exclude the rest. Dichorionic diamniotic twins have separate placentas (no anastomoses), and a singleton has no co-twin to exchange with. (Monochorionic monoamniotic twins are also monochorionic, but the standard examination association is with monochorionic diamniotic twins as keyed.)
Hence the answer is monochorionic diamniotic twins.
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