The effect of twin-to-twin delivery time intervals on neonatal outcome for second twins

Table 3 Neonatal morbidity in first and second twins in twin deliveries after 32 completed gestational weeks and with vaginal delivery of the first twin

	First twin N = 527	Second twin N = 527	p-value
Composite primary outcome^a	4 (0.7)	14 (2.7)	0.029
Apgar score < 4, 5 min^b	0	2 (0.4)	1.0
pH < 7.05 and BE< −12 or pH < 7.00^c	4 (1.0)	12 (2.8)	0.08
Perinatal mortality < 7 days	0	2 (0.4)	0.50
Neonatal mortality < 28 days	0	0	1.0
Composite secondary outcome^a	68 (12.9)	92 (17.4)	0.048
Apgar score < 7, 5 min	4 (0.8)	9 (1.7)	0.46
pH < 7.10	5 (1.2)	40 (9.4)	< 0.0001
Admitted to NICU	129 (24.5)	123 (23.3)	0.72
NICU, mean (SD), median, (range) days	11 (7.3) 10 (1–35)	11 (7.0) 10 (1–37)	1.0
NICU > 7 days	81 (15.4)	76 (14.4)	0.90
IRDS	1 (0.2)	5 (0.9)	0.23
TTN	8 (1.5)	10 (1.9)	0.81
IVH	0	0	1.0
Septicemia	3 (0.6)	2 (0.4)	1.0
NEC	0	1 (0.2)	1.0
Convulsions	0	0	1.0
HIE	0	0	1.0
Assisted ventilation	26 (4.9)	30 (5.7)	0.68

Values are n (%), unless otherwise stated
BE Base Excess, NICU Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, IRDS Infant Respiratory Distress Syndrome, TTN Transient Tachypnea of the Newborn, IVH Intraventricular Hemorrhage, NEC Necrotizing Enterocolitis, HIE Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy
^aas defined in Material and Methods
^bThere were missing Apgar score in first twin (n = 5) and second twin (n = 3)
^cThere was missing pH values in first twin (n = 121) and second twin (n = 101)

ISSN: 1471-2393