Perinatal mortality in twin pregnancies: a 3-year analysis in Seine Saint-Denis (France)

Objectives: Our purpose was to evaluate perinatal mortality in twins and to investigate factors associated with this mortality. Study design: A prospe ctive study on the perinatal mortality was performed in the department of S eine-Saint-Denis, Out of all the perinatal deaths, we have retrospectively isolated those arising from twin pregnancies. Results: There were 54 twin p regnancies complicated with perinatal death. The perinatal mortality rate i n twin pregnancy was 78.0 per 1000 twin babies delivered. Out of 86 twin de aths, 38 (44.2%) were born before 28 weeks gestation and out of 82 twin per inatal deaths, 37 (45.1%) weighed less than 1000 g. Chorionicity was record ed in 44 twin pairs: 21 (47.7%) were dichorionic and 23 (52.3%) monochorion ic. Finally, out of 48 twin sets there were four (8.3%) monoamniotic pregna ncies. Conclusions: The present data show that extreme prematurity represen ts nearly half of perinatal mortality in twins. This study indicates also a significant proportion of monochorionic placentation among twin pregnancie s with poor outcome. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights rese rved.