The objective: conduct a comparative clinical and statistical analysis of obstetric and perinatal complications in singleton and multiple pregnancies after assisted reproductive technologies (ART) according to archival documents (pregnancy observation data and birth history) and identify features of multiple pregnancy. Materials and methods. During the period 2017–2019, 522 women gave birth in maternity hospital «Leleka» after assisted reproductive technologies, 331 women were observed in the maternity hospital «Leleka». 445 women gave birth with a singleton pregnancy and 77 with a multiple pregnancy. A clinical and statistical analysis of 150 pregnancy and childbirth histories was performed. All pregnant women were divided into two groups: Group I – 75 pregnant women with singleton pregnancies after ART; Group II – 75 pregnant women with multiple pregnancies after ART. The selection criteria for comparative clinical and statistical analysis were women whose pregnancies occurred as a result of ART, namely by in vitro fertilization (IVF) using five-day frozen embryos. Mathematical research methods were performed in accordance with the recommendations of O.P. Minzer (2013). The reliability of the cancellation of the mean pairs was calculated using the Student’s and Fisher’s criteria. Graphs were designed using the program «Microsoft Excel». Results. Complications of early pregnancy in multiple pregnancies were: anemia (47.8% vs. 22.9%; p<0.01), placental dysfunction (43.3% vs. 22.9%; p<0.01), the threat of abortion (41.8% vs. 28.6%; p<0.01). Complications of the second half of pregnancy: preeclampsia (52.7% vs. 20.6%; p<0.01), fetal growth retardation (20.0% vs. 7.4%; p<0.01), gestational anemia (76,4% vs. 32.4%; p<0.01), placental dysfunction (47.3% vs. 22.1%; p<0.05). Complications in childbirth in women with multiple pregnancies were as follows: premature rupture of membranes (30.9% vs. 10.3%; p<0.05), anomalies of labor activity (16.4% vs. 5.9%; p>0.05), fetal distress (29.1% vs. 14.7%; p<0.05), premature placental abruption (3.6% vs. the absence of this indicator in group I). In patients of group II with multiple pregnancies 3.7 times more often the pregnancy ended prematurely compared with singleton (21.8% vs. 5.9%; p<0.05). Early preterm births predominated, of which births occurred in 3.6% of cases at 22–28 weeks, 7.3% at 28–32 weeks, and 6.4% at 32–34 weeks. Significant increase in the frequency of 32.7% of abdominal births in multiple pregnancies against 11.8% of patients in pregnancy with a single fetus (p<0.01). The structure of indications in patients of group II was as follows: severe preeclampsia 27.8%, development of fetal growth retardation and fetal distress of 11.1%, respectively, premature placental abruption 16.7%, the following single indications (pelvic presentation of the fetus, transverse or oblique position of the fetus, clinically narrow pelvis, abnormalities of labor, scar on the uterus) – 33.3%. Significant increase in the total frequency of neonatal asphyxia of varying severity in multiple pregnancies (35.0% vs. 5.9%; p<0.05), fetal growth retardation (27.3% vs. 11.8%; p<0.01). Conclusions. Multiple pregnancies are a high risk factor for gestational anemia, preeclampsia, placental dysfunction, early fetal growth retardation, and fetal distress during pregnancy and childbirth. This causes a high level of abdominal delivery. Therefore, further research to predict and prevent obstetric and perinatal complications in multiple pregnancies after ART is relevant today. Keywords: obstetric and perinatal complications of pregnancy, multiple pregnancy, assisted reproductive technologies.
Ethical Considerations in Multiple Pregnancy: Preterm Delivery in the Setting of Discordant Fetal Anomaly