Cb. Lambalk et M. Van Hooff, Natural versus induced twinning and pregnancy outcome: a Dutch nationwide survey of primiparous dizygotic twin deliveries, FERT STERIL, 75(4), 2001, pp. 731-736
Objective: To compare obstetrical outcome of twin pregnancies after assiste
d reproduction with that of natural twin pregnancies.
Design: Retrospective national database study.
Setting: Academic Medical Centre.
Patient(s): One thousand ninety-three primiparous mothers registered in the
Dutch National Birth Registry who gave birth to a dizygotic (DZ) twin (mal
e/female) in 1994, 1995, and 1996. We compared 613 natural twin pregnancies
and 480 twin pregnancies born after assisted reproduction.
Main Outcome Measure(s): Gestational length, mode of delivery, mode of pres
entation of the children, birth weight, APGAR score, congenital anomalies,
perinatal mortality rate, highest recorded maternal diastolic blood pressur
e, and maternal postpartum complications.
Result(s): Rates of perinatal mortality and very premature parturition (<29
weeks) were lower in natural twin mothers. Overall, induced DZ twins were
born 3.5 days earlier with a lower birth weight and APGAR score compared wi
th controls. Rates of congenital anomalies and incidence of cesarean sectio
n were not different. The highest recorded diastolic blood pressure was low
er in induced twinning with a 30% lower incidence of diastolic blood pressu
re >90 mm Hg.
Conclusion(s): Obstetric outcome for induced DZ twin pregnancy is less opti
mal than in natural DZ twin pregnancy. Twinning in assisted reproduction is
known for its contribution to the high rate of premature deliveries, but i
n addition being a subfertile patient undergoing treatment makes an intrins
ic contribution to adverse events as well. (C) 2001 by American Society for
Reproductive Medicine.