Out of 10,286 the births in Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic, 270 (2.63%) were twin pregnancies. The incidence of twin pregnancies was; 26.2 twins per 1,000 births. Fifty three percent (n=143) of infants were born at term, while 47% (n = 127) of infants born preterm or before 37 weeks of gestation. Thirty per cent of the twin pregnancies were conceived through the use of assisted reproduction technology, while 70 percent were by spontaneous conception. The average maternal age was 30.8 years, while the average gestational age at birth was 32.9 weeks. About 7.8 % (n=10) were born before week 28 gestational, 23.6 % (n=30) before 32 weeks, 68.6 % (n=87) were born between weeks 32-36+6 gestation. Averages birth weight of the premature twins was 2010 grams, 8.9% (n=24) were born with less than 1000 grams, 14.1% (n=38) ≤1500 grams, 53.7% (n=145) ≤2500, and 23.3 % (n=63) ≥2500 grams. Sixty three percent were delivered through section caesarean, while 37 % were through vaginal delivery. The Apgar test scoring average for the group: Gem I was 6.5, while for group: Gem II was 6.4. The most common pathologies associated with premature births were: preterm premature rupture of membranes (27.5%), status post section caesarean with pain (13.4%), maternal hypertensive disease (12.5%), death of the fetus in utero (10%), and cervical insufficiency (9.5%), and other pathologies in small percentages: IUGR, umbilical cord accidents, abruption placenta, polyhydramnios etc.

Twin pregnancy is defined as a pregnancy in which two embryos develop in the uterus at the same time. It is dizygotic twins when the twins are derived from two zygote that develops from a two fertilized oocytes and monozygotic twins when they are derived from one zygote that develops from a single fertilized oocyte. Premature birth is defined as birth that occurs before 37 completed weeks of gestation, regardless of birth weight. There is a strong link between the multiple pregnancies and the risk of premature birth. Premature birth risk increases with the number of fetuses, suggesting overstrain uterine and fetal signal as potential road to early onset of labor. In the world, approximately 50 percent of women with twin pregnancy are born before 37 weeks. Besides spontaneous premature birth, multiple pregnancies are often complicated by medical and obstetric disorders that lead to premature birth. Intrauterine growth restriction, fetal abnormalities, hypertension, abruption the placenta and fetal compromise were more frequent in multiple pregnancies and the complications increases with the number of fetuses. Newman and Luke reported that multiple pregnancies constitute 2.9 percent of all birth (USA. The incidence of twin pregnancies was; 26.2 twins per 1,000 births

With Regards,
Sara Giselle
Associate Managing Editor
 Journal of Critical Care Obsestrics & Gynocology