Multiple gestation and perinatal outcome in the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, South-South, Nigeria: A 5-year review

Background: Multiple gestation occurs when the gravid uterus harbours more than one foetus. It is a high-risk pregnancy, because of the associated adverse pregnancy outcomes culminating in some cases, in a high rate of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality.

Objective: To determine the incidence of multiple gestation, and maternal and perinatal outcomes associated with it at the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, South-South, Nigeria, over a five-year period.

Materials and Methods: This retrospective study was carried out between 1st January, 2016 and 31st December, 2020. Data were retrieved and entered into a pre-designed proforma, and analysed using IBM SPSS version 25.0. Results were presented in frequencies and percentages for categorical variables, and mean and standard deviation for continuous variables.

Results: One hundred and sixty-three women had multiple gestation in the period under review, out of a total of 4,571 pregnancies, which represented a case incidence rate of 35.6 multiple gestations per 1,000 deliveries in the Centre. Incidence rates for twins and triplets were 32.5 and 3.5 per 1,000 deliveries, respectively. About 51.5% were unbooked for antenatal care in the index pregnancy. The most common (47.2%) complication was preterm delivery. There were 342 neonates from 163 multiple gestations. There was death of 20 (5.8%) babies.

Conclusion: The significant maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality associated with multiple gestation can be reduced by early diagnosis, specialized antenatal care, skilled intrapartum, postpartum and neonatal care in centres with a full complement of skilled obstetricians, anaesthetists and neonatologists.