Loading...
Some data suggest that second-born twins have an increased risk for perinatal anoxic events, sometimes even leading to death. Researchers analyzed 1377 twin pregnancies that involved an intrapartum stillbirth or neonatal death in England, Northern Ireland, and Wales from 1994 to 2003. Twins who died from other causes, such as congenital anomalies, were excluded.
Birth order was not associated with risk for death overall or among preterm twins (before 36 weeks’ gestation). However, among term twins (at or after 36 weeks), second-born twins had increased risk for death overall and for death related to anoxia compared with first-born twins (odds ratios, 2.3 and 3.4, respectively). In an analysis of term births by mode of delivery, compared with…