[Intrauterine death of one fetus during the first trimester of monochorionic diamniotic twin gestation].
OBJECTIVE
The goal of our study was the clinical and pathological characteristics of the monochorionic diamniotic twin gestations complicated by the intrauterine death of one fetus during the first trimester.


METHODS
This study is a prospective review of 9 monochorionic diamniotic twin gestations involving the intrauterine death of one fetus during the first trimester.


RESULTS
During the study period 178 twin gestations were identified sonographically during the first trimester. Forty three of them (24,2%) were complicated by the intrauterine death of one fetus before the end of 12th gestation week. Nine cases were monochorionic diamniotic. Gestational age of one fetus demise ranged from 5 to 11 (mean 7,4) weeks. Prognoses for surviving fetus were adverse. In 8 cases there was a death of a second fetus after the period of 1 to 3 weeks, with abortion of both fetuses. Only in one case, the gestation has finished in 40th week by delivery of liveborn infant. Maternal coagulation changes did not occur in those cases. One liveborn infant was without evidence of hematological and neurological abnormalities. The postdelivery examination allowed to establish a presence of monochorionic diamniotic placentation in all cases. In two of them, the probable causes of death were established (developmental defect, presence of anastomoses between blood vessels).


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that the risk of mortality for the living twin is very high, after the death of its sibling, in case of monochorionic placentation. Morphological examination of placenta and fetal membranes lets to establish a type of placenta, and in some cases a probable cause of intrauterine death of one twin during the first trimester of monochorionic diamniotic twin gestation.
Malinowski
Witold
W
Katedra Perinatologii Instytutu Kształcenia Medycznego Akademii Swietokrzyskiej w Kielcach.
Koktysz
Robert
R
Stawerski
Paweł
P
D000328:Adult; D000650:Amnion; D002823:Chorion; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000209:etiology; D005330:Fetofetal Transfusion; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014427:Twins