Can prematurity risk in twin pregnancies after in vitro fertilization be predicted? A retrospective study

• Published in: Reproductive biology and endocrinology 2009-11, Vol.7 (1), p.136-136, Article 136
• Main Authors: Weghofer, Andrea, Klein, Katharina, Stammler-Safar, Maria, Worda, Christof, Barad, David H, Husslein, Peter, Gleicher, Norbert
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Debate; Female; Fertilization in vitro; Fertilization in Vitro - statistics & numerical data; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Infant, Premature - physiology; Male; Maternal Age; Pregnancy; Pregnancy, Multiple; Pregnancy, Multiple - physiology; Pregnancy, Multiple - statistics & numerical data; Premature birth; Premature Birth - diagnosis; Premature Birth - epidemiology; Prognosis; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors; Twins - physiology; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1477-7827; 1477-7827
• DOI: 10.1186/1477-7827-7-136

Assisted reproduction (ART) contributes to world-wide increases of twin pregnancies, in turn raising prematurity risks. Whether characteristics of ART cycles, resulting in twin gestations, can predict prematurity risks was the subject of this study. One-hundred-and-six women, ages 20 to 39 years, with consecutive dichorionic-diamniotic (DC/DA) twin gestations were retrospectively investigated. All pregnancies investigated followed fresh ART cycles, with use of autologous gamets, and were delivered at a university-based high-risk, maternal-fetal medicine unit. Only premature deliveries (i.e., or = 500 grams, were considered for analysis. After 1.8 +/- 1.2 ART cycles, 11.0 +/- 5.4 oocytes were retrieved and 2.4 +/- 0.9 embryos transferred in 106 women aged 31.6 +/- 4.2 years. Indications for ART treatment were male factor in 51.9%, female infertility in 27.4% and combined infertility in 20.8%. Though maternal age significantly influenced prematurity risk (p < 0.05), paternal age, maternal body mass index, indications for fertility treatment, number of previous ART attempts, oocytes retrieved or embryos transferred, as well as stimulation protocols and previous ART pregnancies, were not associated with gestational duration in twin pregnancies. Except for female age, baseline and ART cycle characteristics do not allow for prediction of prematurity risk in dichorionic twin gestations after assisted reproduction.