The risk of preterm delivery (< 37 weeks of gestation) is approximately nine times higher in women with multifetal pregnancies than in women with singleton pregnancies. However, it is possible that the risk will vary according to gestational week. To assess the risk of premature birth within 1 week by gestational age among multifetal pregnancies and compare the estimated risk with that of singl...

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to establish the frequency of fetal cells in the maternal blood of multifetal pregnancies and compare this figure with singleton pregnancies. METHODS We obtained maternal blood from 31 pregnancies with 2-6 fetuses at 11-16 weeks gestation and from 50 normal singleton controls (11-14 weeks gestation). Fetal erythroblasts were isolated from maternal blood us...

Placental function in multifetal pregnancies before and after embryo reduction was investigated by measuring maternal serum concentrations of pregnancy associated placental protein-A (PAPP-A) and pregnancy specific beta-1-glycoprotein (SP-1). Three groups of pregnant women were studied following assisted reproduction; groups 1 and 2, were 12 singleton and 12 twin pregnancies respectively, and g...

OBJECTIVE It is known from animal experiments that blood flow through the ductus venosus changes with fetal strain. Therefore the ratio of umbilical vein to ductus venosus flow rate in human intrauterine growth retardation and multifetal pregnancies was investigated and compared with that in control subjects. STUDY DESIGN Blood flow rates in the umbilical vein and in the ductus venosus, as we...

The purpose of this article was to evaluate the accuracy of predicting amnionicity using the number of yolk sacs by diagnostic ultrasound examination in monochorionic (MC) multifetal pregnancies between 7 + 0 and 9 + 6 gestational weeks. A total of 97 patients with MC multifetal pregnancies underwent early ultrasound examination from 2004 to 2014 at Cheil General Hospital and Women's Healthcare...

The advances in reproductive technologies have changed the demographics of multifetal pregnancies. In the first trimester, ultrasound allows to diagnose the number of multiples, chorionicity and amnionicity, the presence or absence of nuchal translucency, early growth discordance, severe malformations and the origin of activities and contacts between multiples. In the second and third trimester...

OBJECTIVE To describe the rates of antenatal hospital admission during twin or higher order multifetal pregnancies, and the admission outcomes as discharge undelivered, transfer to higher care, or spontaneous or elective delivery. METHODS Cohort study using linked birth and hospital data. The cohort comprised women who gave birth to twins or higher order multiple infants of≥24 weeks gestation...

Imagine a hopeful mother, desperate after many failed attempts to become pregnant. She consults a fertility clinic and decides to undergo the invasive and costly process of in vitro fertilization (IVF). The procedure is more than successful—she finds herself pregnant with quadruplets. At less than five feet tall and with a petite frame, she will not be able to carry all four fetuses to term. He...

PURPOSE Multifetal pregnancy reduction is a widespread "therapy" to diminish the risk of prematurity and adverse outcome for the survivors in higher order multiple gestation. The aim of our study was to determine the maternal and neonatal outcome of multifetal pregnancies under a conservative pregnancy management. STUDY DESIGN A retrospective review of 112 multifetal pregnancies is presented....