Perinatal Complications of Twin Deliveries at Jimma University Specialized Hospital, Southwest Ethiopia: A Facility-based Cohort Study

Abstract

Twin pregnancy carries higher foetal and neonatal complications. This situation is worse in Sub-Saharan Africa due to lack of well-equipped facilities. Studies on twin pregnancy and its perinatal complications are limited in Ethiopia. Thus, this study aimed to fill this gap. A hospital-based cohort study was conducted in Jimma University Specialized Hospital on 144 twin deliveries and 288 singleton deliveries from December 2012 to November 2013 in obstetrics ward of Jimma university specialized hospital. Data were collected through face-to- face interview by using structured-questionnaire and analyzed by SPSS V.20.0. The relative risks of twin deliveries were higher for the occurrence of low birth weight, need for neonatal intensive care unit admissions, early neonatal deaths and preterm births as compared with singleton deliveries. Unique foetal complications like both twin deaths, co-twin deaths, discordant twin and gross congenital malformation were common in twin deliveries. In conclusion, women with twin pregnancy were at a higher risk of ante-partum and intrapartum foetal and neonatal complications. Therefore, care providers should give special attention for the mother during pregnancy, labour and delivery, and both for the mother and her new born during postpartum period.