scholarly journals OC23.03: The influence of gestational age at loss on preterm birth and co-twin death after single fetal loss in twin pregnancies: The STORK multiple pregnancy cohort

2014 ◽  
Vol 44 (S1) ◽  
pp. 54-54
Author(s):  
F. D'Antonio ◽  
A. Khalil ◽  
T.D. Dias ◽  
A. Bhide ◽  
A.T. Papageorghiou ◽  
...  
2015 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco D'Antonio ◽  
Asma Khalil ◽  
Maddalena Morlando ◽  
Basky Thilaganathan ◽  

Objectives: A third-trimester fetal weight discordance of 25% has been proposed as an independent predictor of fetal loss in twin pregnancies. As fetal weight gain at this stage of pregnancy increases exponentially, it is not entirely certain whether a single cut-off for inter-twin weight discordance is appropriate. The aim of this study was to investigate whether a single weight discordance cut-off can be used or whether different cut-offs should be adopted according to the gestational age at assessment. Methods: This was a retrospective study of all twin pregnancies of known chorionicity from a large regional cohort over a 10-year period. Receiver operating characteristic curve and logistic regression analyses were used to explore the relation between estimated fetal weight (EFW) discordance detected within 4 weeks from the occurrence of the outcome and single fetal loss at different gestational age windows. Results: 957 twin pregnancies (173 monochorionic and 784 dichorionic) were included in the analysis. EFW discordance was independently associated with the occurrence of single fetal loss in twin pregnancies in each gestational age window. Ultrasound EFW discordance had an area under the curve of 0.77 (95% CI: 0.67-0.87) for the prediction of single fetal loss in the third trimester of pregnancy, with an optimal cut-off of around 25% (23.2%). The optimal cut-offs of EFW discordance for the prediction of single fetal loss were different in each gestational age window. Conclusion: The accuracy of EFW discordance in predicting single fetal loss in twin pregnancies varies during the third trimester of pregnancy. The degree of fetal weight discordance associated with fetal loss decreases during the third trimester, suggesting that the weight discordance threshold for intervention should vary according to gestational age.


2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. 678-684 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. J. Davies ◽  
A. R. Rumbold ◽  
M. J. Whitrow ◽  
K. J. Willson ◽  
W. K. Scheil ◽  
...  

The study of very early pregnancy loss is impractical in the general population, but possible amongst infertility patients receiving carefully monitored treatments. We examined the association between fetal loss and the risk of birth defects in the surviving co-twin in a retrospective cohort study of infertility patients within an infertility clinic in South Australia from January 1986 to December 2002, linked to population registries for births, terminations and birth defects. The study population consisted of a total of 5683 births. Births from singleton pregnancies without loss were compared with survivors from (1) pregnancies with an empty fetal sac at 6–8 weeks after embryo transfer, (2) fetal loss subsequent to 8-week ultrasound and (3) multiple pregnancy continuing to birth. Odds ratios (OR) for birth defects were calculated with adjustment for confounders. Amongst infertility patients, the prevalence of birth defects was 7.9% for all twin pregnancies without fetal loss compared with 14.6% in pregnancies in which there had been an empty sac at ultrasound, and 11.6% for pregnancies with fetal loss after 6–8 weeks. Compared with singleton pregnancies without loss, the presence of an empty sac was associated with an increased risk of any defect (OR=1.90, 95% confidence intervals (CI)=1.09–3.30) and with multiple defects (OR=2.87, 95% CI=1.31–6.28). Twin pregnancies continuing to birth without loss were not associated with an overall increased prevalence of defects. We conclude that the observed loss of a co-twin by 6–8 weeks of pregnancy is related to the risk of major birth defects in the survivor.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 643
Author(s):  
Veronica Giorgione ◽  
Corey Briffa ◽  
Carolina Di Fabrizio ◽  
Rohan Bhate ◽  
Asma Khalil

Twin pregnancies are commonly assessed using singleton growth and birth weight reference charts. This practice has led to a significant number of twins labelled as small for gestational age (SGA), causing unnecessary interventions and increased risk of iatrogenic preterm birth. However, the use of twin-specific charts remains controversial. This study aims to assess whether twin-specific estimated fetal weight (EFW) and birth weight (BW) charts are more predictive of adverse outcomes compared to singleton charts. Centiles of EFW and BW were calculated using previously published singleton and twin charts. Categorical data were compared using Chi-square or McNemar tests. The study included 1740 twin pregnancies, with the following perinatal adverse outcomes recorded: perinatal death, preterm birth <34 weeks, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) and admissions to the neonatal unit (NNU). Twin-specific charts identified prenatally and postnatally a smaller proportion of infants as SGA compared to singleton charts. However, twin charts showed a higher percentage of adverse neonatal outcomes in SGA infants than singleton charts. For example, perinatal death (SGA 7.2% vs. appropriate for gestational age (AGA) 2%, p < 0.0001), preterm birth <34 weeks (SGA 42.1% vs. AGA 16.4%, p < 0.0001), HDP (SGA 21.2% vs. AGA 13.5%, p = 0.015) and NNU admissions (SGA 69% vs. AGA 24%, p < 0.0001), when compared to singleton charts (perinatal death: SGA 2% vs. AGA 1%, p = 0.029), preterm birth <34 weeks: (SGA 20.6% vs. AGA 17.4%, p = 0.020), NNU admission: (SGA 34.5% vs. AGA 23.9%, p < 0.000). There was no significant association between HDP and SGA using the singleton charts (p = 0.696). In SGA infants, according to the twin charts, the incidence of abnormal umbilical artery Doppler was significantly more common than in SGA using the singleton chart (27.0% vs. 8.1%, p < 0.001). In conclusion, singleton charts misclassify a large number of twins as at risk of fetal growth restriction. The evidence suggests that the following twin-specific charts could reduce unnecessary medical interventions prenatally and postnatally.


1999 ◽  
Vol 117 (3) ◽  
pp. 121-124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tenilson Amaral Oliveira ◽  
Carla Muniz Pinto de Carvalho ◽  
Eduardo de Souza ◽  
Corintio Mariani-Neto ◽  
Luiz Camano

CONTEXT: The presence of fetal fibronectin in the cervix or vagina has been investigated as a possible marker for the risk of preterm birth. Fetal fibronectin in cervical fluid can provide direct evidence of pathologic changes at the interface of fetal and maternal tissues. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the presence of fetal fibronectin as a predictor of premature delivery in twin pregnancies in relation to gestational age. DESIGN: Acuracy study. SETTING: University referral unit. PARTICIPANTS: 52 pregnant women with twin pregnancies and gestational age of between 24 and 34 weeks. MAIN MEASUREMENTS: Sensivity, specifity, predictive values and relative risk ratios of the correlation between fetal fibronectin and preterm birth before 34 and 37 weeks using an immediate-reading membrane test on cervicovaginal secretions obtained from participants. RESULT: The sensitivity varied between 66.7% and 85.7%, whereas the specificity was from 58.3% to 81.8% according to gestational age at the time of sampling. The relative risk of spontaneous preterm birth after a positive fetal fibronectin test, as compared with a negative fetal fibronectin test, rose from 2.8 at 24-26 weeks to 4.1 at 27-30 weeks. Analyses of the risk of delivery before 34 weeks were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Fetal fibronectin in the cervicovaginal secretions of patients with twin pregnancies is a useful tool for the early identification of twin pregnancies likely to deliver before 37 weeks. However, the clinical value of the fibronectin test is limited because of low indices for prediction of delivery before 34 weeks. The best period for performing the fetal fibronectin test in twin pregnancies to predict preterm delivery is between 27 and 30 weeks.


2013 ◽  
Vol 42 (s1) ◽  
pp. 44-44
Author(s):  
F. D'Antonio ◽  
A. Khalil ◽  
E. Mantovani ◽  
B. Thilaganathan

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