M. Smithlevitin et al., SELECTIVE REDUCTION OF MULTIFETAL PREGNANCIES TO TWINS IMPROVES OUTCOME OVER NONREDUCED TRIPLET GESTATIONS, American journal of obstetrics and gynecology, 175(4), 1996, pp. 878-882
OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to evaluate effects of multifetal pregnancy
reduction on pregnancy complications and birth weights of remaining t
win fetuses compared with expectantly managed triplets and nonreduced
twins. STUDY DESIGN: Medical records of 54 triplet pregnancies, 59 twi
n pregnancies resulting from multifetal pregnancy reduction, and 88 se
ts of twins conceived with assisted reproductive techniques and delive
red at New York Hospital after 24 weeks were retrospectively reviewed.
Birth weights were corrected for gestational age at delivery by use o
f a formula derived from composite standardized growth curves. Statist
ical analysis was performed with chi(2) analysis and Student t test. R
ESULTS: Twins remaining after reduction and nonreduced twins were less
likely to have preeclampsia than were triplets (14% and 23% vs 30%) a
nd to be delivered before 36 weeks (39% and 27% vs 72%). They had birt
h weights that were >100 gm larger than those of triplets even when co
rrected for gestational age. Reduced twins were similar to nonreduced
twins in all parameters studied. CONCLUSIONS: Multifetal pregnancy red
uction results in pregnancy complications, gestational age, and birth
weights closer to those of nonreduced twins than to expectantly manage
d triplets.