Objective: To analyze the changes in the clinical characteristics and perinatal outcomes of twin pregnancies delivered at a tertiary referral center in Korea during a 24-year period.
Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of twin pregnancies delivered at 24-40 weeks of gestation, from 1995 to 2018. The subjects were divided into 4 groups according to the year of delivery: 1995-2000, 2001-2006, 2007-2012, and 2013-2018. The trends in the changes in the twin birth rate, maternal age, assisted reproductive technology (ART) pregnancy rate, chorionicity, obstetric complications, delivery outcomes, and neonatal outcomes over the periods were analyzed.
Results: A total of 2,133 twin pregnancies were included in the study. The twin birth rate increased from 16.7/1,000 in 1995-2000 to 42.2/1,000 in 2001-2006, 49.5/1,000 in 2007-2012, and 61.8/1,000 in 2013-2018. The maternal age and ART pregnancy and dichorionic twin rates increased, while the monochorionic twin rate decreased over the periods. The incidence of fetal congenital anomalies, cervical incompetence, gestational diabetes mellitus, preeclampsia, and placental abruption increased over the periods. The preterm birth (PTB) rate significantly decreased owing to the decreasing elective late-PTB rate; however, the early-PTB rate significantly increased.
Conclusion: This study found that twin pregnancies increased steadily over the last 24 years and that the increase was related to increased maternal age and ART pregnancy rate. The incidence of obstetric complications increased over the periods; however, the neonatal intensive care unit admission rate decreased, along with decreases in the elective late-PTB rate.
Keywords: Delivery; Obstetric complications; Twin pregnancy.
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