Multiple Births: Clinical profile of Neonates and Associated Risk Factors in a 5- Year Comparative Review in a Tertiary Hospital

Abstract

Background:
Multiple gestation has been known to be associated with unfavorable outcomes of pregnancy for both the mother and the fetus.

Objective:
The objective of the study was to review the clinical profile of neonates from multiple births and their associated risk
factors for multiple births (MB) over a 5-year period at the study center.

Methods: This was a comparative review of neonates from multiple births and neonates from singleton births from 2018-2023 at the
study centre. All live neonates delivered from MB and all live neonates delivered as singleton births were eligible, if their mothers
had no comorbidities. Data collected included maternal age, booking status, parity, mode of deliveries, sex, Apgar score and birth weight. Frequencies and percentages were calculated for categorical variables, t-test was done to compare means of continuous variables and chi-square test for categorical variables. A p-value < 0.05 considered to be significant.

Results:
There were 425 neonates included in the study with 30(7.1%) neonates from MB and 395(92.9%) neonates from singleton births. The mean of mothers with MB was 31.0 ± 5.7 years while the mean age of mothers with singleton births was 31.1±5.5
years, and the difference was not significant. The mean parity of mothers with MB was 2.0±1.2 while the mean parity of mothers with singleton births was 2.1±1.3, and the difference was not statistically significant. Neonates from MB had significantly more cases of severe birth asphyxia, low birth weight and prematurity. However, after matching for gestational age, term neonates from MB had significantly more cases of SBA and LBW while preterm neonates from MB had significantly more cases of LBW.

Conclusion:
Neonates from MB were significantly at increased risk of LBW, SBA and prematurity. Also, increasing maternal age and parity were not significantly associated with MB.