Breech births in twin pregnancy: an analysis of Apgar score and perinatal mortality from a Nigerian sample.

Perinatal mortality (PNM) rates are reported for 146 twin-1 and 192 twin-2 breech births among 622 consecutive twin pairs delivered at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin, Nigeria. Stillbirths and infants with severe asphyxia (Apgar score 1-3) were recorded in significant proportions of both first and second twin breech infants. PNM rates were 13.7% twin-1, 18.8% twin-2; corrected PNM for infants weighing 2.0 kg or more, were 9.3% and 12.4% for twin-1 and twin-2, respectively. Twin specific breech PNM decreased with increasing birthweight of first and second twin to a low optimum in the weight group 2.5-2.9 kg, and thereafter rose for both first and second twin with birthweight 3.0 kg and above. Factors such as low birthweight, breech/breech presentation, breech extraction and retained second twin breech contributed significantly to the high PNM rates. More favorable PNM rates were recorded among a limited number of breech infants delivered by primary cesarean section for breech/breech or first twin breech presentations. A liberal approach to cesarean section delivery for breech twin births, and particularly for paired breech/breech presentations is strongly advocated.