Active management of selective intrauterine growth restriction with abnormal Doppler in monochorionic diamniotic twin pregnancies diagnosed in the second trimester of pregnancy

• Published in: Prenatal diagnosis 2013-02, Vol.33 (2), p.109-115
• Main Authors: Chalouhi, G. E., Marangoni, M. A., Quibel, T., Deloison, B., Benzina, N., Essaoui, M., Al Ibrahim, A., Stirnemann, J. J., Salomon, L. J., Ville, Y.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Female; Fetal Growth Retardation - diagnostic imaging; Fetal Growth Retardation - etiology; Fetal Growth Retardation - mortality; Fetal Growth Retardation - surgery; Fetofetal Transfusion - diagnostic imaging; Fetofetal Transfusion - mortality; Fetofetal Transfusion - surgery; Humans; Laser Coagulation; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Trimester, Second; Pregnancy, Twin; Retrospective Studies; Survival Rate; Twins, Monozygotic; Ultrasonography
• ISSN: 0197-3851; 1097-0223
• DOI: 10.1002/pd.4031

ABSTRACT Objective This study aims to compare outcomes of active management of monochorionic diamniotic twin pregnancies complicated with severe intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) of one twin before 24 weeks with continuous or intermittent absent or reversed end‐diastolic flow (AREDF) in the umbilical artery, with or without twin‐to‐twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS). Method This study is a retrospective comparison of 45 consecutive cases of severe selective IUGR (s‐IUGR) defined as an estimated fetal weight at or below the fifth centile with a >25% weight discordance and AREDF in the umbilical artery before 24 weeks and 166 consecutive cases of TTTS stage III, with AREDF in the donor (TTTS3D) and also with s‐IUGR. These were treated by either selective laser photocoagulation of chorionic vessels (SLPCV) or cord coagulation (CC). Results The 166 cases of TTTS3D were treated by SLPCV, whereas 23 and 22 cases of s‐IUGR were treated by SLPCV and CC, respectively. Overall survival was 52.17% or 45.45% in s‐IUGR treated by SLPCV or CC, respectively, and 48.49% in TTTS3D. The survival of appropriately grown for gestational age (AGA) twins following CC (90.9%) was higher than that following SLPCV in s‐IUGR (74%) or in recipient twins of TTTS3D (55.42%) (p = 0.001). Survival of the IUGR twin was 30% and 41.56% with SLPCV in s‐IUGR and TTTS3D, respectively. Conclusions Active management of severe IUGR with AREDF in the umbilical artery seems beneficial. Survival rates with SLPCV were similar in s‐IUGR and TTTS3D. However, there was a trend for higher survival rates in the AGA twin for CC. The choice of the technique should be driven by objective counseling on survival of both IUGR and AGA twins and therefore by the utility‐based ethical values expressed by the pregnant woman. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. What's already known about this topic? Data are lacking to address this very specific problem with a difficult counseling and management. What does this study add? Retrospective study comparing fetal outcome in second trimester severe s‐IUGR in monochorionic twin pregnancies and in TTTS3D following SLPCV or CC before 24 weeks of gestation.