title: Umbilical arterial blood gas and perinatal outcome in the second twin according to the planned mode of delivery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare umbilical arterial gas parameters in the second twin of twin pregnancies according to the mode of delivery.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of twin deliveries after 34 weeks of gestation for 3 years. Excluding the cases which underwent emergency cesarean delivery during trial of labor, a total of 79 twin gestations had umbilical arterial blood gas values available and were and divided into cesarean delivery group (N=40) and vaginal delivery group (N=39). The mean differences of umbilical arterial blood parameters and the Apgar score between the first and second twin in each pregnancy were compared according the mode of delivery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The differences of umbilical arterial gas parameters between twin siblings showed no significant difference according to the mode of delivery. With regard to the 1 minute and 5 minute Apgar scores, the differences between twin siblings are significantly increased in vaginal delivery group compared to cesarean delivery group (p=0.048, and p=0.038, respectively). In comparing the 28 cases delivered vaginally with an inter-twin delivery interval < 10 minutes and 40 cases delivered by cesarean section, no significant differences were observed in the umbilical arterial gas parameters and Apgar scores.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The inter-twin umbilical arterial blood gas parameters according to the mode of delivery showed no difference. For twin deliveries, it is relatively safe to plan for a vaginal delivery, but an effort should be made to reduce the inter-twin delivery interval time.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Ji Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Won Sik
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Gui Se Ra
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Sa Jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jong Chul
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: In Yang
authors.initials: IY
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001034:Apgar Score; D001784:Blood Gas Analysis; D002585:Cesarean Section; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014427:Twins