Effect of mode of delivery on neonatal outcome of twins with birthweight under 1500 g.

Abstract

The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate. The mode of delivery on neonatal outcome of twins weighing <1500 g. We reviewed the effect of birth order, presentation, and method of delivery on neonatal outcome in twin gestation under 1500 g at Princess Badeea' Teaching Hospital in North Jordan over the 6-years from 1994 to 1999. During the study period, there were 51475 deliveries of which 695 were twin gestations. One hundred and eight (108) sets of twins weighing <1500 g were included in the study (15.5%), of which 41 were in vertex-vertex presentation, 40 in vertex-nonvertex, and 27 with first twin in nonvertex presentation. The second twin pregnancies characterized by a higher incidence of respiratory distress syndrome (82 vs. 70%; p=0.02) more neonatal mortality (23 vs. 17.6%), and lower Apgar score at 1 and 5 min. Cesarean delivery for vertex-vertex presentation did not improve the neonatal outcome. Rather, the incidence of RDS was significantly greater in this group delivered by cesarean section (65.6 vs. 42%, p=0.012). For nonvertex presentation, those delivered by cesarean section had a lower incidence of neonatal mortality. We concluded there was no advantage for cesarean delivery that could be demonstrated after multivariate analysis to correct the differences in birthweight between the groups. Therefore, the differences in the neonatal outcome of non vertex twins presentation accounted for the differences in birthweight, rather than in mode of delivery.