The Trend of Twin Pregnancy Over a 5-year Period in a University Teaching Hospital in Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

Twin pregnancy is associated with increased perinatal mortality, preterm deliveries and maternal complications, especially in developing countries. The obstetrics result of twin deliveries at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria between January 2002 and December 2006 were reviewed. Within the 5-year period, there were 314 twin deliveries out of 13,351 total deliveries giving an incidence of 1 in 42.6 or 23.5/1000. Perinatal death was over one and a half times greater than that in singleton deliveries (149.7 and 89.7/1000 deliveries respectively). Majority (61.8%) of the patients was booked and there was no relationship with parity. There was no particular trend in the incidence over the 5-year period. Preterm delivery occurred in 25% of the twins and prematurity accounted for about one-quarter of all perinatal deaths which was the highest. The perinatal mortality ratio between the booked (67/1000) and the unbooked (308/1000) cases was 1 in 5. There was no change in the trend of twinning rate. The antenatal booking and delivery in a specialist centre will reduce the morbidity and perinatal mortality associated with twin pregnancies.

Keywords: Trend, perinatal mortality, twins.