R. Axt, D. Mink, J. Hendrik, K. Ertan, M. von Blohn, W. Schmidt
Maternal and neonatal outcome of twin pregnancies complicated by single fetal death
Objective: To study the maternal and neonatal outcome
of twin pregnancies complicated by the intrauterine
death of one fetus after 20 weeks of gestation.
Design: Retrospective, observational study of 7 twin
pregnancies out of 185 twin pregnancies with the diagnosis
of a single intrauterine death over a 5-years period
in a university hospital.
Results: The incidence of single fetal death in twin gestation
after 20 weeks was 3.8% in the study population
with a high incidence of intrauterine growth retardation
(IUGR) of the remaining fetus and preeclampsia in the
further course of pregnancy. The incidence of preterm
delivery was 71% with a mean gestational age of 33.0 ± 1.0 weeks. The median interval from diagnosis
of single fetal death to delivery was 10.2 ± 4.1 days
(range 1–28 days). 5 of 7 (71 %) cases were delivered
by cesarean section for standard obstetrical reasons.
Neither perinatal nor neonatal death of the remaining
twin were observed. Two cases of neurologic injury
were diagnosed after delivery by ultrasound and
MRI. No maternal coagulopathy related to single fetal
death occured.
Conclusion: Expectant management of single fetal
death in twin pregnancies might be advisible under
close surveillance of both, mother and the surviving fetus.
Journal of Perinatal Medicine, Walter de Gruyter
Print ISSN: 1619-3997
Volume: 27, 07/1999
Pages: 221 - 227
Show full article (external site)
Show all available items of this journal
Search
