Abstract
OBJECTIVE:
We evaluated the timing of twin delivery associated with perinatal outcome in gestations of at least 36 completed weeks.
STUDY DESIGN:
This was a retrospective analysis of infant and maternal hospital records for a consecutive series of twin deliveries at New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center. The inclusion criteria were delivery after 36 weeks’ gestation during a 7-year period (1987 to 1993), without congenital anomalies or early fetal demise. Adverse perinatal outcomes were compared between deliveries before 38 weeks’ gestational age and those at or after 38 weeks’ gestation.
RESULTS:
Of 776 twin deliveries during the study period, 329 met the inclusion criteria. Adverse perinatal outcome was significantly higher among the twin pregnancies that delivered before 38 weeks’ gestation compared with those that delivered at or after 38 weeks’ gestation. Twin pregnancies that delivered between 36 and 37 weeks’ gestation were 13 times more likely to require neonatal intensive care compared with those who delivered at or after 38 weeks’ gestation (95% confidence interval 1.8 to 95.9; p < 0.001).
CONCLUSION: In uncomplicated twin gestations, delivery at between 36 and 37 weeks’ gestation was not associated with a reduction in neonatal complications compared with deliveries at or after 38 weeks’ gestation.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 12 print issues and online access
$259.00 per year
only $21.58 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Udom-Rice, I., Inglis, S., Skupski, D. et al. Optimal Gestational Age for Twin Delivery. J Perinatol 20, 231–234 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jp.7200354
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jp.7200354