Table 2 Summary of the impacts of multiple pregnancy [3, 4, 18, 19, 21–26]
From: Promoting the use of elective single embryo transfer in clinical practice
Maternal health | Infant health | Psychosocial effects on the family |
|---|---|---|
• Pre-eclampsia • Gestational diabetes • Placental previa • Placental abruption • Preterm premature rupture of the membranes • Cesarean delivery • Postpartum hemorrhage • Death | • Placental problems − Premature aging − Twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome • Spontaneous abortion • Intrauterine growth restriction • Preterm (<37 weeks), very preterm (<32 weeks), and extreme preterm (<28 weeks) birth • Perinatal and infant mortality • Low (<2500 g) and very low birth weight (<1500 g) • Intraventricular hemorrhage • Periventricular leukomalacia • Respiratory distress syndrome • Bronchopulmonary dysplasia • Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy • Necrotizing enterocolitis • Sepsis • Jaundice • Retinopathy of prematurity • Cerebral palsy • Neural tube defects, heart malformations, and other birth defects • Developmental delays | • Postpartum depression (mother and father) • Relationship stress • Financial stress − Obstetric costs and neonatal intensive care admission − Costs for caring for multiple children throughout childhood |