Perinatal mortality in twin pregnancies: a 3-year analysis in Seine Saint-Denis (France).

OBJECTIVES

Our purpose was to evaluate perinatal mortality in twins and to investigate factors associated with this mortality.

STUDY

DESIGN

A prospective study on the perinatal mortality was performed in the department of Seine-Saint-Denis. Out of all the perinatal deaths, we have retrospectively isolated those arising from twin pregnancies.

RESULTS

There were 54 twin pregnancies complicated with perinatal death. The perinatal mortality rate in twin pregnancy was 78.0 per 1000 twin babies delivered. Out of 86 twin deaths, 38 (44.2%) were born before 28 weeks gestation and out of 82 twin perinatal deaths, 37 (45.1%) weighed less than 1000 g. Chorionicity was recorded in 44 twin pairs: 21 (47.7%) were dichorionic and 23 (52.3%) monochorionic. Finally, out of 48 twin sets there were four (8.3%) monoamniotic pregnancies.

CONCLUSIONS

The present data show that extreme prematurity represents nearly half of perinatal mortality in twins. This study indicates also a significant proportion of monochorionic placentation among twin pregnancies with poor outcome.