OUTCOME OF TWIN PREGNANCIES REDUCED FROM TRIPLETS COMPARED WITH NONREDUCED TWIN GESTATIONS

Objective: To compare the outcome of triplet pregnancies reduced to tw ins who reached 24 weeks' gestation with the outcome of twin pregnanci es managed in the same perinatal department. Methods: The study group included 43 triplet pregnancies reduced to twins who reached 24 weeks' gestation and were delivered between January 1989 and December 1993. The complications and outcomes of these pregnancies were compared with all 134 bichorionic twin pregnancies delivered during 1993. Results: In general, the outcome of triplet pregnancies reduced to twins was no t significantly different from that of twin pregnancies. Both pregnanc y-induced hypertension and premature contractions were similar in the two groups. The higher incidence of premature rupture of membranes (PR OM) in the reduced cases compared with nonintervention twins (18.6 ver sus 8.2%) was of borderline significance (relative risk [RR] 2.27, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.98-5.27). Although premature delivery occu rred in 30% of patients in both groups, 20.9% of patients in the reduc tion group delivered before 35 weeks' gestation, compared with 10.4% i n the nonintervention group (RR 2.0, 95% CI 0.93-4.30). The mean gesta tional age was similar in the two groups, as was the risk of low birth weight and respiratory disorders. Differences in the proportion of pa tients with FROM, low gestation duration, and very low birth weight, a lthough not quite statistically significant, are probably because of t he relatively small numbers and, hence, of low power (50-55%), but may be of clinical importance. Conclusion: The outcome of triplet pregnan cies reduced to twins did not differ substantially from that of nonred uced twin pregnancies.