title: Adverse maternal outcomes in multifetal pregnancies.
abstract: In this retrospective cohort of 165,188 singleton pregnancies and 44,674 multiple-fetal pregnancies in Canada from 1984 to 2000, we compared the incidence of maternal complications. Multiple gestation pregnancies were associated with significant increases in cardiac morbidity, haematologic morbidity, amniotic fluid embolus, pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, postpartum haemorrhage, prolonged hospital stay, the need for obstetric intervention, hysterectomy and blood transfusion. Multiple gestation pregnancies are associated with an increased risk of morbidity for the mother. This should be taken into consideration in antenatal care of these women.
authors.affiliation: OMNI Research Group, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa General Hospital, General Campus, 501 Smyth Road, Box 241, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1H 8LG.
authors.forename: Mark C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.forename: Kellie E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: Saiyi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Qiuying
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Shi Wu
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Wen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016640:Diabetes, Gestational / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D006402:Hematologic Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008428:Maternal Mortality; D006473:Postpartum Hemorrhage / Q000453:epidemiology; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011272:Pregnancy, Multiple; D012189:Retrospective Studies