Prediction of safe and successful vaginal twin birth.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the study was to establish predictors of vaginal twin birth and evaluate perinatal morbidity according to mode of delivery.

STUDY

DESIGN

One thousand twenty-eight twin pregnancies were prospectively recruited. For this prespecified secondary analysis, obstetric characteristics and a composite of adverse perinatal outcome were compared according to the success or failure of a trial of labor and further compared with those undergoing elective cesarean delivery. Perinatal outcomes were adjusted for chorionicity and gestational age using a linear model for continuous data and logistic regression for binary data.

RESULTS

Nine hundred seventy-one twin pregnancies met the criteria for inclusion. A trial of labor was considered for 441 (45%) and was successful in 338 of 441 (77%). The cesarean delivery rate for the second twin was 4% (14 of 351). Multiparity and spontaneous conception predicted vaginal birth. No statistically significant differences in perinatal morbidity were observed.

CONCLUSION

A high prospect of successful and safe vaginal delivery can be achieved with trial of twin labor.