Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-7cvxr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-25T14:32:51.897Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Incidence and Neonatal Mortality of Twins: Italy 1981-90

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 August 2014

A. Pugliese*
Affiliation:
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, “A. Cardarelli” Hospital, Naples, Rome, Italy
R. Arsieri
Affiliation:
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, “A. Cardarelli” Hospital, Naples, Rome, Italy
V. Patriarca
Affiliation:
Epidemiology and Biostatistic Laboratory, National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy
A. Spagnolo
Affiliation:
Epidemiology and Biostatistic Laboratory, National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy
*
Terapia Intensiva Neonatale, Ospedale Cardarelli, Naples, Italy

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

The aims of this study were: 1) to study the characteristics of birth and neonatal mortality (NM) rates of twins as compared to singletons in recent years in Italy; 2) to evaluate NM rate differences among twins and singletons by birthweight: 3) to calculate the cause-specific NM rates among singletons and twins. Data concerning all live-born infants were obtained from the birth and death records of the Italian Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) for the years 1981, 1985, 1989 and 1990 and were analyzed by the Statistics Office of the Italian National Institute of Health. Between 1981 and 1990 the incidence of twins increased from 18.3 to 19.1 per thousand livebirths. This increase was mainly related to twins resulting from multiple pregnancies, thus, the proportion of twins weighing < 1500g also increased from 67 to 77 per thousand. Twins accounted for 10% of overall neonatal mortality in 1981 and 14% in 1990. Between 1981 and 1990 in the Centre-South of Italy the crude NM rates showed a greater decrease among singletons than among twins, while in the North the decrement involved both singletons and twins. The birthweight-specific NM rate showed a steady improvement in survival for twins rather than for singletons in the 1500-2499g weight range. Taking each cause of death in 1989-90, NM rates were considerably higher for twins compared to singletons, Twin mortality risks due to newborn respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) and asphyxia were respectively 11 and 8 times that of singletons. The comparison between twin NM rates in the three geografical areas and in relation to the cause of death indicated a greater incidence of RDS and asphyxia in the Centre-South than in the North.

This study offers indications on the planning of perinatal care in order to improve twin survival in the Centre and South of Italy, particularly with regard to the prevention and care of asphyxia-RDS.

Type
Oral Communications and Poster Abstracts
Copyright
Copyright © The International Society for Twin Studies 1994

References

REFERENCES

1. Fabre, E., deAguero, RG, deAgustin, JL, Perez-Hiraldo, MP, Bescos, JL (1988): Perinatal mortality in twin pregnancy: An analysis of birth weight-specific mortality rates and adjusted mortality rates for birth weight distribution. J Perinat Med 16: 8591.Google Scholar
2. Fowler, MG, Kleinman, JC, Kiely, JL, Kessel, SS (1991): Double jeopardy: twin infant mortality in the United States, 1983 and 1984. Am J Obstet Gynecol 165: 1522.Google Scholar
3. Ghai, V., Vidyasagar, D. (1988): Morbidity and mortality factors in twins: an epidemiologic approach. Clin Perinatol 15: 123140.Google Scholar
4. Kiely, JL (1991): Time trends in neonatal mortality among twins and singletons in New York City, 1968-1986. Acta Genet Med Gemellol 40 (3-4): 303309.Google Scholar
5. Kleinman, JC, Fowler, MG, Kessel, SS (1991): Comparison of infant mortality among twins and singletons: Unites States 1960 and 1983 Am J Epidemiol 133: 133143.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6. Spellacy, WN, Handler, A, Ferre, CD (1990): A case-control study of 1253 twin pregnancies from a 1982-1987 perinatal data base. Obstet Gynecol 75: 168171.Google Scholar