Twins Birth in Kano, Northern Nigeria

Objectives: To determine the incidence of twin pregnancy at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital and associated maternal and perinatal morbidity. Materials and Methods: This is a descriptive study of patients with twin pregnancy, who delivered at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) from 1 st January, 2005 to 31 st December, 2009. Case notes of the patients were retrieved from the records department and the data analyzed using Epi Info and Minitab electronic statistical software Results: Three hundred and forty nine pregnant women were admitted and delivered of twins during the period under review. One ninety four case notes were available from the record officers giving a retrieval rate of 55.6% The mean age was 27.7±4.9 and the mean parity was 2.3±2.21. 69.6% of the twins’ mothers were booked. The rate of twin delivery was 22.9/1,000. Pregnancy induced hypertension (12.9%), pre-labour rupture of membrane (7.7%) and footling breech (4.1%) were the leading complications. The mean gestational age at delivery was 37.1±2.4. 57 patients (29.4%) had caesarean section due to various intrapartum complications. Five babies (1.3%) died in the early neonatal period, 25 (6.5%) were stillborn, 23 (5.9%) were asphyxiated and 195 (50.3%) were low birth weight. There was no statistically significant difference between the mean birth weight and Apgar scores of first and second twins. Conclusion: The incidence of twin pregnancy increases with advanced parity and maternal age. The maternal and perinatal morbidity were found to be significantly high in twin pregnancy in this study.