A 20-year review of twin births at Mater Misericordiae Hospital, Afikpo, South Eastern Nigeria.

OBJECTIVES To provide information on twin deliveries among Igbos in a rural/semi-urban community of South-Eastern Nigeria, and compare the twinning rate with data from the other two major tribes. METHODS An analysis of the records of deliveries conducted over a 20-year period in a rural/semi-urban community of South-Eastern Nigeria. RESULTS The twinning rate of the community was 1:24, and increased with increasing maternal age, and generally with birth rank. Twin births were associated with a MMR of 895/100,000, and PMR of 213/1000 maternities, figures 3.4 and 1.7 times those of the total maternal and perinatal mortalities respectively. Ninty percent of the twin mothers delivered vaginally, 2% with the aid of symphysiotomy. Caesarean section rate was 10.6%. CONCLUSION The twinning rate within Nigeria may probably be dictated by location rather than ethnicity. The maternal and perinatal mortalities associated with twin pregnancies in this study appear higher than for singleton births.