Multiple Pregnancies Over a Five-Year Period; Complications in Pregnancy, Mode of Delivery and Perinatal Outcome

Background: The aim of this study was to determine type and frequency of complications during multiple pregnancies, mode of delivery and perinatal outcome in three groups of pregnant women, categorized by gestational age of pregnancy.Methods: In cross-sectional epidemiological study data were collected and processed from the medical database of University Clinical Hospital in Mostar in the period between 2015. and 2019. A total of 149 pregnant women and their neonates were included and divided into three groups according to gestational age: moderately preterm birth (from 22 to 33 + 6 weeks - MPTB), late preterm birth (from 34 to 36 + 6 weeks - LPTB ), term birth (from 37 weeks). SPSS for Windows software (version 23.0, SPSS Inc, Chicago, Illinois, USA) was used for statistical analysis.Main findings: Of the total 149 pregnancies, 64.86% were completed by C-section and it was the dominant mode of delivery in all gestational groups. Hypertension, PPROM and gestational diabetes pregnancy were the most common complications in the group of term birth, PPROM and preeclampsia in the LPTB group, multiple maternal complications in the group MPTB (p <0.001). In both twins, respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) was the most common complication in MPTB group, and neonatal jaundice and perinatal infection and sepsis in the LPTB and term birth group.Principal conclusions: Caesarian section was dominant mode of delivery in all groups. RDS and multiple complications were significantly more common in MPTP group, and neonatal jaundice, perinatal infections and sepsis in LPTP and term birth group.Key words: multiple pregnancy, PPROM, preeclampsia, hypertension, perinatal complications, caesarian section.