Twin vaginal birth after cesarean.
OBJECTIVE
To determine both success rate and maternal-fetal outcome of vaginal birth after cesarean in twin gestations.


METHODS
We identified all women from a single center attempting vaginal birth of twins after cesarean from 1988-98. Twin pairs were excluded for delivery < or = 25 weeks gestation, monoamnionicity, nonvertex twin A, or major anomaly or death of either twin. Cases were matched to the next three consecutive twin gestations attempting vaginal delivery without a prior cesarean. Variables matched were gestational age at delivery (+/- 1 week), presentations of both fetuses, labor onset (spontaneous or induced), and prior vaginal delivery (yes or no). The primary outcome was successful vaginal delivery of both fetuses. Secondary maternal outcomes included chorioamnionitis, hemorrhage requiring transfusion, hysterectomy, uterine rupture, and length of stay. Neonatal outcomes included one and five minute Apgars, NICU admission, and length of NICU stay.


RESULTS
Twelve parturients were matched to 36 controls. There were no differences between the groups with respect to maternal demographics, intrapartum variables, fetal genders, birthweights, or chorionicity. Women with a prior cesarean (10/12) delivered both twins vaginally compared to 31/36 parturients without a prior cesarean (P = 1.0). There were no differences between cases and controls with respect to maternal morbidity (1/12 vs 4/36, P = 1.0), or postpartum stay (2.5 +/- 1.0 vs 2.5 +/- 2.3 days, P = .25). Neonatal outcomes were similar by birth order, except that second-born twins of cases had significantly longer NICU stays than controls (22.7 +/- 3.8 vs 10.4 +/- 7.8 days, P = .04).


CONCLUSIONS
Twin trial of labor after cesarean is associated with a high success rate of vaginal delivery but may be associated with a more lengthy NICU stay for the second twin.
Wax
J R
JR
University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, USA.
Philput
C
C
Mather
J
J
Steinfeld
J D
JD
Ingardia
C J
CJ
D002585:Cesarean Section; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007902:Length of Stay; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014219:Trial of Labor; D014427:Twins