Fetal outcome of labour with retained second twin in a tertiary health institution in Sokoto, North-Western Nigeria

• Published in: Sahel medical journal 2011, Vol.14 (2), p.48-51
• Main Authors: Nnadi, DC, Nwobodo, El, Airede, LR
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Fetus; labour; outcome; retained 2 nd twin
• ISSN: 1118-8561; 2321-6689
• DOI: 10.4103/1118-8561.145445

Background: After the delivery of the leading twin, the second twin is at risk of distress from decreased placental perfusion due to premature separation of the placenta, birth trauma from intrauterine manipulations and increase in operative intervention due to mal-presentations. Aim: To evaluate the fetal outcome in cases of retained second twin in tertiary health institution in Sokoto, North-Westem Nigeria. Method: The case notes of patients who were managed for retained second twin at the Usmanu Dan-fodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH), Sokoto, from January 2005 to December 2009 were retrieved and analysed. The chi-square table was used to analyse some of the results. Results: During the study period, there were 163 twin births out of 10,221 total deliveries, giving a twining incidence of 16 per 1000 births. There were 33 cases where the second twin was retained, representing 3.2 per 1000 births or 1 in 5 twin deliveries. The peri-natal mortality of the second twin (515.2 per 1000 births) was significantly higher than the 151.5 per 1000 births observed for the first twin (p