Fetal growth disorders in twin gestations
Yair J Blumenfeld1, Jill N Anderson2
1Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California.
Current Opinion in Obstetrics & Gynecology
|March 13, 2023
Summary
Twin-specific growth charts and individual growth assessment improve the diagnosis of fetal growth restriction in twins. These methods reduce misclassification, potentially improving outcomes for growth-restricted twins.
Area of Science:
- Perinatology
- Maternal-Fetal Medicine
- Neonatology
Background:
- Twin gestations represent about 3% of all births.
- Physiologic differences in third-trimester twin growth compared to singletons are not fully understood.
- Accurate assessment of fetal growth is crucial due to increased risks for growth-restricted fetuses and neonates.
Conclusions:
- Improved understanding of physiologic and pathologic twin growth is a recent focus.
- Increased use of twin-specific growth curves is expected to decrease FGR diagnoses and misclassifications.
- Future research aims to elucidate the reasons for observed differences in third-trimester growth between twins and singletons.
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