Related factors of preterm birth in monochorionic twins after single
intrauterine death: a case-control study
Abstract
Objectives: To analyze preterm birth related factors for single
intrauterine death in monochorionic twins. Design: Retrospective
case-control study. Setting: A single medical centre in Shenyang, China,
2012-2018. Sample: preterm delivery with intrauterine fetal death in
monochorionic twins (cases, n = 35) were compared with a group of full
term birth (controls, n = 4). Methods: Related factors were compared in
the two groups and logistic regression was used to adjust for
confounding. Main outcome measures: Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence
interval (CI) for the related factors of preterm birth Results: This
study included 39 monochorionic twins following single intrauterine
death. The significant risk factor associated with preterm birth is the
gestational age of single intrauterine death (OR=1.317, 95% CI:
1.027-1.689). The timing of prolong gestational age shorten with the
increasing gestational age of single intrauterine death. We found that
in all monochorionic twins cases and spontaneous preterm birth cases,
increases in the gestational age at single intrauterine death was
associated with shorter prolongation of gestational age in the surviving
twin. Conclusions: The gestational age of single intrauterine death was
a risk factor of preterm delivery. Increases in the gestational age at
single intrauterine death led to a shorter prolongation in gestation of
the surviving twin. Funding: This study was funded by Prenatal
diagnosis, intrauterine intervention and prognosis evaluation of
complicated twins (No. 2018YFC1002902) Tweetable abstract: The
gestational age of intrauterine fetal death was a risk factor of preterm
delivery. Keywords Gestational age; Prolongation of gestational age;
Twin pregnancy;