Review of "Multiple Pregnancy: Epidemiology, Gestation & Perinatal Outcome. Second Edition"

Edward J Hayes

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Thomas Jefferson University, Suite 400, Ben Franklin Building, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA

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Journal of Experimental & Clinical Assisted Reproduction 2005, 2:12doi:10.1186/1743-1050-2-12


Published:	31 August 2005

First paragraph (this article has no abstract)

Over the past two decades, an epidemic of multiple pregnancies has taken place in the developed world due to the widespread use of assisted reproductive technology. The general public has come to accept the phenomenon of higher order multiple as being a normal occurrence, expecting a good outcome for both the fetuses and the mother. However, physicians caring for these patients appreciate that these pregnancies have an increased number of complications both for the mother and fetus. The mother suffers substantial morbidity not just due to the risk and interventions of prematurity but also the increased incidence in medical complications. The fetuses are at jeopardy not just due to premature delivery, but also the increased rates of anomalies in multiples, and those complications uniquely associated with multiples, such as twin to twin transfusion syndrome. Clinicians involved in management of these high-risk pregnancies regrettably have had to rely on protocols based on expert opinion with unproven efficacy. These protocols may unintentionally place a mother and her unborn children at significant risk without achieving the desired benefit.