Coagulation-fibrinolysis is more enhanced in twin than in singleton pregnancies.
OBJECTIVE
To examine whether coagulation-fibrinolysis in late pregnancy in women with twin pregnancies is more pronounced than in women with singleton pregnancies.


METHODS
The plasma levels of D-dimer, fibrinogen/fibrin degradation products (FDP), and fibrinogen, the platelet count, and the antithrombin activity were assessed from 3 weeks before delivery until postpartum day 7 in 48 women (24 singleton and 24 twin pregnancies) without preeclampsia who underwent cesarean sections.


RESULTS
Women with singleton or twin pregnancies gave birth at 37.3+/-1.2 weeks or 35.2+/-1.4 weeks, respectively. Compared with singleton mothers, prenatal D-dimer and FDP levels were consistently and significantly higher among women with twin pregnancies. A significantly larger proportion of twin mothers exhibited prenatal levels of D-dimer >5.0 microg/mL, FDP >10.0 microg/mL, fibrinogen <420 mg/mL and antithrombin activity <70%. In addition, prenatal antithrombin activity in plasma was significantly lower.


CONCLUSIONS
Coagulation-fibrinolysis is more enhanced in women with twin gestation than in women with singleton gestation.
Morikawa
Mamoru
M
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan. mmamoru@med.hokudai.ac.jp
Yamada
Takashi
T
Turuga
Noriko
N
Cho
Kazutoshi
K
Yamada
Hideto
H
Sakuragi
Noriaki
N
Minakami
Hisanori
H
D000328:Adult; D000990:Antithrombin III / Q000378:metabolism; D001777:Blood Coagulation / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products / Q000378:metabolism; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D010976:Platelet Count; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000502:physiology*; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D011272:Pregnancy, Multiple / Q000502:physiology*; D014427:Twins / Q000502:physiology
D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products; C036309:fibrin fragment D; D000990:Antithrombin III; D005340:Fibrinogen