The incidence, maternal, fetal and neonatal consequences of single intrauterine fetal death in monochorionic twins: a prospective observational UKOSS study
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Authors
Colleges, School and Institutes
External organisations
- West Midlands Research Collaborative (WMRC), West Midlands, UK.
- Fetal Medicine Centre
- Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust
- Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust, Mindelsohn Way, Birmingham
- University of Oxford
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Report maternal, fetal and neonatal complications associated with single intrauterine fetal death (sIUFD) in monochorionic twin pregnancies.
DESIGN: Prospective observational study.
SETTING: UK.
POPULATION: 81 monochorionic twin pregnancies with sIUFD after 14 weeks gestation, irrespective of cause.
METHODS: UKOSS reporters submitted data collection forms using data from hospital records.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Aetiology of sIUFD; surviving co-twin outcomes: perinatal mortality, central nervous system (CNS) imaging, gestation and mode of delivery, neonatal outcomes; post-mortem findings; maternal outcomes.
RESULTS: The commonest aetiology was twin-twin transfusion syndrome (38/81, 47%), "spontaneous" sIUFD (22/81, 27%) was second commonest. Death of the co-twin was common (10/70, 14%). Preterm birth (<37 weeks gestation) was the commonest adverse outcome (77%): half were spontaneous and half iatrogenic. Only 46/75 (61%) cases had antenatal CNS imaging, of which 33 cases had known results of which 7/33 (21%) had radiological findings suggestive of neurological damage. Postnatal CNS imaging revealed an additional 7 babies with CNS abnormalities, all born at <36 weeks, including all 4 babies exhibiting abnormal CNS signs. Major maternal morbidity was relatively common, with 6% requiring ITU admission, all related to infection.
CONCLUSIONS: Monochorionic twin pregnancies with single IUD are complex and require specialist care. Further research is required regarding optimal gestation at delivery of the surviving co-twin, preterm birth prevention, and classifying the cause of death in twin pregnancies. Awareness of the importance of CNS imaging, and follow-up, needs improvement.
Details
Original language | English |
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Article number | e0239477 |
Number of pages | 12 |
Journal | PLoS ONE |
Volume | 15 |
Issue number | 9 |
Publication status | Published - 21 Sep 2020 |