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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
medicine
A prospective study of twinning and perinatal mortality in urban Guinea-Bissau
BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, Volume 12, Article 140, Year 2012
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Description
Background: Despite twinning being common in Africa, few prospective twin studies have been conducted. We studied twinning rate, perinatal mortality and the clinical characteristics of newborn twins in urban Guinea-Bissau.Methods: The study was conducted at the Bandim Health Project (BHP), a health and demographic surveillance site in Bissau, the capital of Guinea-Bissau. The cohort included all newborn twins delivered at the National Hospital Simão Mendes and in the BHP study area during the period September 2009 to August 2011 as well as singleton controls from the BHP study area. Data regarding obstetric history and pregnancy were collected at the hospital. Live children were examined clinically. For a subset of twin pairs zygosity was established by using genetic markers.Results: Out of the 5262 births from mothers included in the BHP study area, 94 were twin births, i.e. a community twinning rate of 18/1000. The monozygotic rate was 3.4/1000. Perinatal mortality among twins vs. singletons was 218/1000 vs. 80/1000 (RR = 2.71, 95% CI: 1.93-3.80). Among the 13783 hospital births 388 were twin births (28/1000). The hospital perinatal twin mortality was 237/1000.Birth weight < 2000g (RR = 4.24, CI: 2.39-7.51) and caesarean section (RR = 1.78, CI: 1.06-2.99) were significant risk factors for perinatal twin mortality. Male sex (RR = 1.38, CI: 0.97-1.96), unawareness of twin pregnancy (RR = 1.64, CI: 0.97-2.78) and high blood pressure during pregnancy (RR = 1.77, CI: 0.88-3.57) were borderline non-significant. Sixty-five percent (245/375) of the mothers who delivered at the hospital were unaware of their twin pregnancy.Conclusions: Twins had a very high perinatal mortality, three-fold higher than singletons. A birth weight < 2000g was the strongest risk factor for perinatal death, and unrecognized twin pregnancy was common. Urgent interventions are needed to lower perinatal twin mortality in Guinea-Bissau. © 2012 Bjerregaard-Andersen et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.
Authors & Co-Authors
Bjerregaard-Andersen, Morten
Ghana, Accra
Indepth Network
Denmark, Odense
Odense Universitetshospital
Lund, Najaaraq
Ghana, Accra
Indepth Network
Denmark, Copenhagen
Statens Serum Institut
Jepsen, Frida Starup
Ghana, Accra
Indepth Network
Denmark, Copenhagen
Statens Serum Institut
Camala, Luis
Ghana, Accra
Indepth Network
Guinea-bissau
Hospital National Simao Mendes
Gomes, Margarida Alfredo
Ghana, Accra
Indepth Network
Guinea-bissau
Hospital National Simao Mendes
Christensen, Kaare
Denmark, Odense
Syddansk Universitet
Denmark, Odense
Odense Universitetshospital
Christiansen, Lene
Denmark, Odense
Syddansk Universitet
Denmark, Odense
Odense Universitetshospital
Jensen, Dorte Møller
Denmark, Odense
Odense Universitetshospital
Aaby, Peter
Ghana, Accra
Indepth Network
Denmark, Copenhagen
Statens Serum Institut
Beck-Nielsen, Henning
Denmark, Odense
Odense Universitetshospital
Benn, Christine Stabell
Ghana, Accra
Indepth Network
Denmark, Copenhagen
Statens Serum Institut
Sodemann, Morten
Ghana, Accra
Indepth Network
Denmark, Odense
Odense Universitetshospital
Statistics
Citations: 33
Authors: 12
Affiliations: 5
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1186/1471-2393-12-140
e-ISSN:
14712393
Research Areas
Genetics And Genomics
Health System And Policy
Maternal And Child Health
Noncommunicable Diseases
Sexual And Reproductive Health
Study Design
Cohort Study
Study Locations
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Participants Gender
Male