Outcome of twin pregnancy in Calabar, Nigeria

Abstract

A ten year retrospective study (between January 1989 to December 1998) to determine the incidence, pregnancy complication and outcome of twin births at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital was carried out. There were 342 twin births out of 12,877 deliveries giving a twin delivery incidence of 26.5/1000 births. The highest twining rate was found in women aged 25 to 29 years (33.5%) and para 2 mothers (23.5%). The main complications encountered were preterm labour (41.2%), pregnancy induced hypertension (11.1%), hyperemesis gravidarum (8.7%) and anaemia (6.8%). The caesarean section rate was 26%. The perinatal mortality rate was 100.6 per 1,000 births and the main cause of perinatal mortality was prematurity. To reduce the associated high maternal morbidity and perinatal mortality, early booking and improvement in existing neonatal facilities are recommended.


(Global Journal of Medical Science, 2004, 3 (1&2): 13-15)