Article Text
Abstract
Aim and methodology Retrospective audit on the antenatal care and intrapartum outcomes for the women with multiple pregnancies booked at City Hospital over a year. The total number of cases included in the audit were 81 excluding the 4 IUT’s from other hospitals and the standards were obtained from the Trust guidelines on management of multiple pregnancy.
Results On analysis 85% of women had the dating scan between 11–14 weeks and the chorionicity was determined in 100%.Only 67% had documented evidence of counselling for Down’s syndrome screening out of which 29% had it done. Interestingly there were no fetal anomalies identified at the detailed scan at 20 weeks.
85% of dichorionic twins and 90% of monochorionic twins delivered after 34 weeks of gestation. The overall survival rate from diagnosis to delivery for dichorionic twins was 97% and 95% for monochorionic twins. The caesarean section rate was 57% and the incidence of caesarean section for twin 2 was 4%.
Conclusion The results emphasised the need for good documentation of antenatal counselling especially for down’s syndrome screening. The interesting points of note were that the incidence of IUGR in dichorionic twins was 41% and in monochorionic twins was 25% and also the survival rate was similar irrespective of chorionicity. Prematurity was the commonest complication and the reason for neonatal admissions as well.