title: Advanced cervical dilatation and spontaneous preterm labor: a comparison between twin and singleton gestations.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the admission to delivery interval and the rate of immediate delivery in twin versus singleton gestation complicated by spontaneous preterm labor (SPTL).
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective cohort study of pregnant women presenting with advanced cervical dilatation of 3-5 cm and frequent uterine contractions at 24-34 weeks of gestation was performed. The rate of progression to delivery within 12 h and 24 h, as well as rates of prolonged latency, were compared between twins and singletons gestations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-nine women were included, of which 25 carried twins and 44 singletons. The overall rate of spontaneous delivery within 12 h and 24 h was 47.8% and 59.4%, respectively, and similar between twins and singletons. Nevertheless, prolonged latency of 10 days or more after presentation was more frequent among twins compared with singletons [10/25 (40%) vs. 7/44 (15.9%), respectively; P=0.026]. Moreover, women carrying twins presenting with advanced cervical dilatation had a better chance of completing a full 2-dose antenatal betamethasone course compared with singletons [19/25 (76%) of twins compared with 21/44 (47.7%) of singletons, odds ratio 3.5, 95% confidence interval 1.16-10.34; P=0.022].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Up to 60% of women presenting with advanced cervical dilatation prior to 34 weeks' gestation give birth within 24 h. Nevertheless, women carrying twins have a better chance of completing a betamethasone course and having prolonged latency compared with singletons.
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dviri
authors.forename: Michal J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Simchen
authors.forename: Anat
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kalter
authors.forename: Shali Mazaki
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Tovi
authors.forename: Orit
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Moran
authors.forename: Eyal
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schiff
authors.forename: Eyal
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sivan
authors.forename: Israel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hendler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007747:Labor Stage, First; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature; D011247:Pregnancy; D059285:Pregnancy, Twin / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies