Impact of growth discordance in twins on preeclampsia based on chorionicity

Despite extensive investigations over the last decade, preeclampsia remains an unpredictable pregnancy complication causing perinatal morbidity and mortality worldwide, particularly in twin pregnancies.

This study aimed to determine the relationship between growth discordance in twin pregnancies and the risk for preeclampsia based on chorionicity.

This was a retrospective single-center study that included 2122 women with twin pregnancies who were admitted to a tertiary hospital between January 2013 and June 2016. Growth discordance was defined as twin birthweight difference ≥20%. Logistic regression models were used to analyze the association between growth discordance and risk for gestational hypertension-preeclampsia in all subjects. Stratified sampling by twin chorionicity (dichorionic and monochorionic) was also conducted. Further analysis was performed to estimate the association between the degree of growth discordance and gestational hypertension-preeclampsia risk in monochorionic and dichorionic twin pregnancies.

The prevalence of growth discordance was 17.6%. In all subjects, growth discordance was associated with increased risk for gestational hypertension-preeclampsia. After stratification by twin chorionicity, growth discordance was associated with an increased risk for gestational hypertension preeclampsia (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.84; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.26-2.67) and preeclampsia (AOR, 1.82; 95% CI, 1.21-2.73), including mild preeclampsia (AOR, 1.86; 95% CI, 1.02-3.37), severe preeclampsia (AOR, 1.78; 95% CI, 1.06-2.97; P<.05), and early-onset preeclampsia (AOR, 2.98; 95% CI, 1.40-6.32), in the dichorionic twin pregnancy group; however, no significant association was found in the monochorionic twin pregnancy group. A 10% increment of growth discordance in the dichorionic twin pregnancy group was associated with an elevated risk for gestational hypertension preeclampsia (AOR, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.02-1.41) and preeclampsia (AOR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.04-1.48), including severe preeclampsia (AOR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.04-1.59) and early-onset preeclampsia (AOR, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.08-2.00), but no significant association was found in the monochorionic twin pregnancy group.

Growth discordance is associated with an increased risk for preeclampsia in dichorionic but not in monochorionic twin pregnancy. In addition, the prevalence of preeclampsia increases significantly with increasing degree of growth discordance, reflecting a dose-response relationship in dichorionic twin pregnancy.