Long-term neurodevelopmental outcome of monochorionic and matched dichorionic twins.

Background: Monochorionic (MC) twins are at increased risk for perinatal mortality and serious morbidity due to the presence of placental vascular anastomoses. Cerebral injury can be secondary to haemodynamic and hematological disorders during pregnancy (especially twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) or intrauterine co-twin death) or from postnatal injury associated with prematurity and low birth weight, common complications in twin pregnancies. We investigated neurodevelopmental outcome in MC and dichorionic (DC) twins at the age of two years.

Perinatal outcome of monoamniotic twin pregnancies.

Objective: To study perinatal mortality and neonatal morbidity in a large cohort of monoamniotic twin pregnancies with special emphasis to the gestational age-specific mortality.

Methods: The study included monoamniotic twin pregnancies delivered in 10 perinatal centers in the Netherlands between January 2000 and December 2007.

Results: A total of 98 monoamniotic pregnancies were included.

Deep-hidden anastomoses in monochorionic twin placentae are harmless.

Objectives: Our objective was to identify the clinical consequences of deep-hidden anastomoses that occur underneath the placental surface.

Methods: Twelve placentae that underwent intrauterine laser ablation of placental anastomoses for twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) and 14 non-TTTS controls were investigated for deep-hidden anastomoses. Additionally, we investigated the inter-twin haemoglobin differences as an indicator for fetofetal transfusion.

Discordant fetal growth patterns in monochorionic twin pregnancies described by simple algebraic relations.

Objective: To test whether twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) and non-TTTS cases that were suspect but not confirmatory for developing the syndrome (non-TTTS-with-symptoms) have discordant fetal growth patterns that correlate with our previously derived algebraic relations.

Methods: In 25 monochorionic twin pregnancies, fetal growth was determined by standard ultrasonography. The difference between estimated fetal weights (dEFW) as well as the difference divided by the average of the two weights, the difference average ratio (DAR), were fitted to the predicted trends of discordant fetal growth for TTTS and non-TTTS pregnancies.

Long-term follow-up of infants after transcervical chorionic villus sampling and after amniocentesis to compare congenital abnormalities and health status.

Objectives: Next to procedure-related fetal loss, other adverse effects of invasive prenatal diagnosis have been reported: limb defects after chorionic villus sampling (CVS) or early amniocentesis and respiratory distress after amniocentesis (AC). Because minor abnormalities may be overlooked in routine follow-up, we obtained long-term follow-up data after CVS and AC.

Methods: 1509 women with a singleton pregnancy who had transcervical CVS were matched by age and season of conception with 1509 women with singleton pregnancies who had AC.