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.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Article number | e0239477 |
Number of pages | 12 |
Journal | PLoS ONE |
Volume | 15 |
Issue number | 9 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 21 Sept 2020 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology(all)
- Agricultural and Biological Sciences(all)
- General