[Perinatal outcome of twin pregnancies after fertilization in vitro and after spontaneous conception]

To compare the obstetric outcome of twin pregnancies after IVF with spontaneously conceived twins and thus determine whether IVF twins require greater care.

A retrospective study.

The Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 1st Faculty of Medicine of Charles University, Prague.

Statistical evaluation of obstetric outcome between the group of 46 twin pregnancies after IVF and 85 spontaneously conceived twins. We evaluated the following parameters: signs of abortion and premature delivery, bleeding in pregnancy, premature rupture of membranes, performed cerclage, incidence of praeclampsia, gestational diabetes mellitus and hepatopathy of the mother. Pathological ultrasound findings were also evaluated--disturbances in foetal growth and the amount of amniotic fluid. In these parameters we also evaluated the time of the first signs of their development. Further, we evaluated the type of delivery, the gestational age at delivery, birth weight, birth weight discordance and perinatal mortality.

We found statistically significant differences in the method of delivery--more cesarean sections in the IVF group (71.7%) than in spontaneous ones (44.7%). Another difference was the gestational age at which cerclage were performed--earlier in the IVF group (average 22.8 weeks) than in spontaneous ones (average 25.7 weeks). In the other evaluated parameters we did not find any statistically significant differences between the two groups.

In our retrospective analysis of twin pregnancies, deliveries and neonatal outcome, except for the method of delivery and time of performing cerclage, we did not find any important significant differences between the IVF and spontaneously conceived twins. However, it is necessary to remember the generally worse obstetric outcome of twin compared to singleton pregnancies.