Most extensive analysis of genes unlocks secrets

Reproductive discoveries come from DNA of 140,000 pregnant women

WASHINGTON - Scientists from China and the United States have sequenced and analyzed a portion of the genomes of more than 140,000 pregnant women in China, the largest-scale genetic analysis of Chinese people to date. The work revealed associations between genes and reproduction, including the birth of twins and a woman's age at first pregnancy.

The study published on Thursday in the journal Cell also allowed researchers to reconstruct the intermarriage of different ethnic groups in China, and promised to help identify genes that make people susceptible to infectious diseases.