R. Singh, S. Doshi, V. G. Sutija, B. Shah, S. Sidhu, M. Vezmar, L. Glass, M. Gudavalli
The effects of birth weight discordance and prematurity on twin neonatal
outcome
Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine
the effect of birth weight discordance (BWD) and
prematurity on twin neonatal outcome by measuring
Apgar scores and blood glucose concentrations at birth.
Methods: This was a retrospective cross-sectional study.
All twins born at NY Methodist Hospital between January
1998 and December 2001 were eligible. Excluded
were fetal deaths, maternal systemic disease, maternal
infections, major neonatal malformations, neonates with
birth weight < 500 g and multiple gestation greater
than 2. BWD was defined as intrapair difference in birth
weight expressed as percentage of the larger twin
greater than 20% and prematurity as gestation of less
than 37 weeks. Hypoglycemia was defined as blood glucose
concentration < 40 mg/dl.
Results: There were 75 (48%) preterm and 80 (52%)
term twin pairs. Nineteen (12%) of the preterm and 15
(9.6%) of the term showed BWD. Mean Apgar scores at
1 and 5 minutes were higher for the term twins as expected.
Neither prematurity nor hypoglycemia was present
predominantly in BWD twins. Twelve of the preterm
and six of the term BWD twins showed evidence of hypoglycemia.
Conclusion: Hypoglycemia in the early hours of postnatal
life is relatively common in preterm BWD twins.
Blood glucose measurement using reagent strips is an efficient
way of monitoring blood glucose concentrations
in these infants.
Journal of Perinatal Medicine, Walter de Gruyter
Print ISSN: 1619-3997
Volume: 31, 03/2003
Pages: 105 - 110
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