Long-term and short-term outcome after delayed-interval delivery in multi-fetal pregnancies.
OBJECTIVE
To assess a possible difference in the short- and long-term outcome between infants born from a delayed-interval delivery.


METHODS
We included all neonates that were either born between November 1991 and December 2000 from a delayed-interval delivery in the Isala Clinics, Zwolle, The Netherlands, or admitted to our clinic after birth. Gestational age, time of delay, birth weight, mortality, morbidity, long-term development and adverse outcome were compared between groups. Moreover, the 'delayed infants' group was compared to a reference group. The following statistical tests were used: prevalence ratio, the Wilcoxon test and the t-test.


RESULTS
Twenty-nine delivery-delaying procedures were successfully performed in our hospital. We included 17 sets of twins and 3 sets of triplets. The mean delay of 19.6 days accounted for a significant increase in birth weight and neonatal survival as well as a decrease in adverse outcome and presence of a number of disease; a negative effect on long-term development could not be shown. The reference group showed less sepsis than the delayed infants group. No serious maternal complications were observed.


CONCLUSIONS
Delaying the delivery of a second or third infant has a positive effect on short-term outcome. Long-term outcome is comparable to children with the same gestational age.
Rosbergen
Meinke
M
Princess Amalia Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Isala Clinics, P.O. Box 10400, 8000 GK, Zwolle, The Netherlands.
Vogt
Hella P
HP
Baerts
Wim
W
van Eyck
Jim
J
Arabin
Birgit
B
van Nimwegen-Hamberg
J M Marjolein
JM
van Lingen
Richard A
RA
D001724:Birth Weight; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011272:Pregnancy, Multiple; D015995:Prevalence; D013997:Time Factors; D014310:Triplets; D014427:Twins