Pathologic Basis for the Definition of Discordant Growth in Dichorionic Twins.

Fetal Diagn Ther

Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Published: November 2021

Objective: The aim of the current study was to identify the optimal cutoff that should define discordance in dichorionic twin gestations through correlation with abnormal placental pathology as a specific measure of fetal growth restriction of the smaller twin.

Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of all women with dichorionic twin pregnancies who gave birth in a single center between 2002 and 2015. We investigated the association between the level of growth discordance and maternal vascular malperfusion (MVM) pathology in the placenta of the smaller twin, with and without adjustment for whether the smaller twin is small for gestational age (SGA).

Results: A total of 1,198 women with dichorionic twin gestation met the study criteria. The rate of MVM pathology in the placenta of the smaller twin increased with the level of discordance and was most obvious for discordance ≥25% (rate of MVM 12.0% compared with 2.8% in cases with discordance <10%, adjusted relative risk [aRR] 3.71, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.97-6.99). When the analysis was adjusted for SGA of the smaller twin, discordance was independently associated with MVM pathology only when growth discordance was ≥25% (aRR 2.18, 95%-CI 1.01-4.93), while SGA was strongly associated with MVM pathology irrespective of the level of discordance.

Conclusion: Our findings suggest that discordant growth in dichorionic twins should raise the concern of fetal growth restriction of the smaller twin, irrespective of whether the smaller twin is SGA, only when the discordance s ≥25%. The association of lower levels of discordance with abnormal placental pathology is mainly driven by the confounding effect of SGA of the smaller twin.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1159/000514328DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

dichorionic twin
12
smaller twin
12
women dichorionic
8
mvm pathology
8
pathology placenta
8
placenta smaller
8
rate mvm
8
twin
6
discordance
5
pathologic basis
4

Similar Publications

Background: To date, there have been no studies in Poland on weight gain in women with twin pregnancies in relation to recommendations.

Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze the gestational weight gain of women with twin pregnancies depending on their body weight before pregnancy, and to assess the relationship between the observed weight gain and the neonatal birth weight.

Material And Methods: The study was conducted among 50 women in twin pregnancies and their 100 newborns delivered after 36 weeks of gestation.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Aplasia cutis congenita (ACC) is a rare congenital disorder characterized by the localized absence of skin at birth, primarily affecting the scalp but also affecting the trunk and limbs. Nine different presentations have been reported. Group V-ACC (G-V ACC) is a rare type associated with fetus papyraceus.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Evidence suggests that the intrauterine environment shapes offspring cardiovascular disease risk. Although placental dysfunction may be an important pathophysiologic pathway, numerous parental and pregnancy characteristics that influence offspring blood pressure are strong confounders of the mechanistic role of the placenta in observational analyses of singletons. Therefore, we leverage twin- and sibling-based comparison designs to determine whether placental pathology is associated with offspring blood pressure at age 7 while mitigating major sources of confounding.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Counselling in Fetal Medicine: Uncomplicated Twin Pregnancies.

J Clin Med

December 2024

Vascular Biology Research Centre, Molecular and Clinical Sciences Research Institute, St George's University of London, London SW17 0RE, UK.

Twin pregnancies account for 3% of all pregnancies and they are burdened by higher morbidity and mortality compared to singletons. The role of ultrasound in the screening, diagnosis and management of possible complications of twin pregnancies has been widely investigated in the current literature. However, despite the progress that have been made in the last decades regarding treatment and evidence-based management of complications, twin pregnancies remain at higher risk of adverse outcomes, requiring therefore dedicated surveillance.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Twin pregnancies are at increased risk of morbidity and mortality compared to singletons. Among all twins, monochorionic pregnancies are at higher risk of specific and non-specific complications compared to dichorionic pregnancies. Therefore, it is of great importance to properly counsel future parents with monochorionic pregnancies regarding the risks of adverse outcomes and the modalities of monitoring and intervention of the potential complications.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!