Perinatal characteristics and early postnatal circulatory function changes in the larger fetus in twin pregnancy with selective intrauterine growth restriction / 中华围产医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To explore the perinatal characteristics and early postnatal circulatory function of the larger fetus in monochorionic diamniotic twin pregnancy complicated with selective intrauterine growth restriction (sIUGR).Methods:From February 2018 to August 2022, a total of 91 larger fetuses of the sIUGR pregnancies who were hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit of Peking University Third Hospital were retrospectively included. The perinatal factors, clinical monitoring indicators, and echocardiographic data of the larger twins in pregnancies with three types of sIUGR were compared using one-way analysis of variance and LSD test, Kruskal-Wallis H test, Chi-square test, and Bonferroni correction. Results:The gestational age, birth weight, and placental weight were (30.6±1.5) weeks, (1 503.9±286.4) g, and (548±120) g in the type Ⅱ sIUGR larger twins and were (30.5±2.3) weeks, (1 523.5±424.4) g, and (560±109) g in type Ⅲ, which were all smaller, lower, and lighter than those in the type Ⅰ[(33.0±1.7) weeks, (2 022.1±372.3) g, and (630±131) g, respectively] (LSD test, all P<0.05). Compared with type Ⅰ sIUGR larger twins, type Ⅱ and Ⅲ sIUGR larger twins had longer hospital stay [36.0 d (27.0-43.0 d) and 32.0 d (15.0-47.0 d) vs. 17.0 d (9.5-22.0 d)], higher proportion of preterm births due to fetal distress [63.6% (21/33) and 75.0% (15/20) vs. 31.6% (12/38), χ2=7.30 and 9.93] (Bonferroni correction, all P<0.017); Compared with type Ⅰ sIUGR larger twins, type Ⅱ sIUGR larger twins had higher proportion of postnatal use of vasoactive drugs [45.5% (15/33) vs. 18.4% (7/38), χ2=6.04, P=0.014]. The interventricular septum thickness was larger in the type Ⅲ sIUGR larger twins than those in the type Ⅰ and Ⅱ twins [(4.4±1.4) vs. (3.8±0.9) and (3.3±0.9) mm]; the thickness of left ventricular free wall was the largest in the type Ⅲ larger twins, followed by those in the type Ⅰ and type Ⅱ [(4.6±1.3) vs. (3.1±0.7) vs. (2.7±0.6) mm]; the left ventricular end-diastolic diameter, right ventricular outflow tract diameter, right ventricular anteroposterior diameter, and pulmonary artery diameter in type Ⅰ larger twins were increased comparing with those in type Ⅱ and Ⅲ [left ventricular end-diastolic diameter: (15.0±2.1) vs. (13.4±2.3) and (12.3±3.2) mm; right ventricular outflow tract diameter: (8.7±1.4) vs. (7.3±1.4) and (7.1±0.8) mm; right ventricular anteroposterior diameter: (7.1±1.5) vs. (6.5±0.9) and (6.4±1.0) mm; pulmonary artery diameter: (6.8±1.1) vs. (6.3±0.9) and (6.3±0.8) mm] (LSD test, all P<0.05). Conclusion:The larger fetuses of type Ⅱ and Ⅲ sIUGR pregnancies had smaller gestational age and lighter birth weight who are more prone to have fetal distress, so it is necessary to strengthen dynamic monitoring and circulatory support for such neonates during the perinatal period and early postnatal period. The thickening of the left ventricular wall and interventricular septum in the early postnatal period of type Ⅲ larger fetuses may lead to the decrease of ventricular diastolic function reserve, thereby the evaluation and monitoring of the myocardial diastolic function of these neonates in the early postnatal period are critical.