Dermatoglyphic appraisal of multiple births women in Igbo-Ora and Ogbomosho, South west, Nigeria

Abstract

The scientific study of epidermal ridges on the palms and toes is termed dermatoglyphics. Multiple births occur when more than one fetus results  from a single pregnancy. This study is aimed at determining the relationship if any between multiple births and palmar flexion creases. Two  hundred Igbo-Ora and one hundred Ogbomosho healthy and consenting adult female indigenes aged between 25-50 years were recruited and grouped into 4; group I consisted of multiple births women in Igbo-Ora; group II consisted of single births women in Igbo-Ora; group III consisted of multiple births women in Ogbomosho; and group IV consisted of single births women in Ogbomosho. A total of 600 palms (Igbo-Ora n=400; Ogbomosho n=200) comprising of both hands were used in the study. Palm prints samples were obtained by asking the participants to wash their hands, towel dry them, after which they were stained with stamp ink pad and prints made on A4 paper in duplicates. Palm print patterns of 105 (Igbo-Ora) and 50 (Ogbomosho) women with multiple births were compared with 95 (Igbo-Ora) and 50 (Ogbomosho) women with single births. The percentage number of primary, P and intersection, I of palmar creases with complete transverse creases, C (PIC) 300 bilaterally was significantly  greater (p < 0.005) in the hands of Igbo-Ora multiple births women (52.4 %) than their single births women (37.4%) while same trend was observed for Ogbomosho women although difference was statistically insignificant,(p > 0.005). In both Igbo-Ora and Ogbomosho women, PIC 310 bilaterally was found to be significantly higher (p < 0.05) in both hands of single births women than the multiple births women. Hence, dermatoglyphics can be said to have relationship with a woman’s tendency to giving birth to multiples.

Keywords: Multiple births, dermatoglyphics, palmar flexion creases, Ogbomosho, Igbo-Ora