Long-term and short-term outcome after delayed-interval delivery in multi-fetal pregnancies.

OBJECTIVE

To assess a possible difference in the short- and long-term outcome between infants born from a delayed-interval delivery.

STUDY DESIGN

We included all neonates that were either born between November 1991 and December 2000 from a delayed-interval delivery in the Isala Clinics, Zwolle, The Netherlands, or admitted to our clinic after birth. Gestational age, time of delay, birth weight, mortality, morbidity, long-term development and adverse outcome were compared between groups. Moreover, the 'delayed infants' group was compared to a reference group. The following statistical tests were used: prevalence ratio, the Wilcoxon test and the t-test.

RESULTS

Twenty-nine delivery-delaying procedures were successfully performed in our hospital. We included 17 sets of twins and 3 sets of triplets. The mean delay of 19.6 days accounted for a significant increase in birth weight and neonatal survival as well as a decrease in adverse outcome and presence of a number of disease; a negative effect on long-term development could not be shown. The reference group showed less sepsis than the delayed infants group. No serious maternal complications were observed.

CONCLUSION

Delaying the delivery of a second or third infant has a positive effect on short-term outcome. Long-term outcome is comparable to children with the same gestational age.