Twin pregnancy question (mortality mentioned)

[annettemarie]

Has anyone heard this? Someone said they read a study that said multiples were more likely to die after 40 weeks gestation. I've been looking for a study or citation, but can't find it. Anyone have any insight?

ETA: Found the study:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16579946

[mama2toomany]

I try not to read stuff like that lol. There are studies out there for everything.

[MaerynPearl]

I dont think you have much to worry about... most multiple pregnancies deliver before 40 weeks anyway.

[annettemarie]

Well, all my other pregnancies have gone 2-3 weeks overdue. Even my homebirth had to be helped along. I only ever once went into labor on my own. So I figure I actually do have a chance of going 40 weeks or beyond.

[Ellie'sMom]

Originally Posted by MaerynPearl

I dont think you have much to worry about... most multiple pregnancies deliver before 40 weeks anyway.

While this is true, there are quite a few of us around MDC who went past 40 with our twins. I went to 40+2.

This study wasn't out yet when I had my twins in 2005, though there were data suggesting 40 weeks should be treated as "term" for twins. This didn't bother me since I felt very confident in the monitoring I was getting from my hb midwife and the high risk OB I was seeing for shadow care.

Totally anecdotal, but my twins were bigger and feistier than their singleton sister who was born at 39 weeks.

Hopefully someone with more recent experience will reply, though I think you would get more replies in the Multiples forum.

Congratulations, by the way!

[voicegrrl]

I always go over with my singletons. My twins were born at 39 weeks at home after being induced with herbs and breaking their sacs. I'd been dilated to 8 1/2 cm for a week (not the entire reason we induced) but I feel confident they would have hung around another week or so. They were very healthy and I can't imagine how another week or two could have changed that. I would not be concerned. I've known several post term twins that were perfectly pink and healthy! Wish I'd hung in there and let mine come on there own. It would have made a big difference.

[karen1968]

Hmm. It seems kind of frustrating that they lump together all deliveries after 40 weeks, rather than breaking them out further (40, 41, 42, etc.).

[annettemarie]

Originally Posted by karen1968

Hmm. It seems kind of frustrating that they lump together all deliveries after 40 weeks, rather than breaking them out further (40, 41, 42, etc.).

I was discussing it with a friend and she said perhaps there really weren't enough twin pregnancies that went past 40 weeks to differentiate and get a good sample and that's why they lumped them together?

I'm really not trying to borrow trouble. I just want to make the best decisions for me and the babies based on the info that's out there.