Seminars in Fetal & Neonatal Medicine
Volume 15, Issue 6 , Pages 336-341 , December 2010

Preterm and term labour in multiple pregnancies

  • Sarah Stock

      Affiliations

    • University of Edinburgh Division of Reproductive and Developmental Sciences, Room S7129, Simpson Centre for Reproductive Health, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Little France, Edinburgh EH16 4SA, UK
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Tel.: +44 (0) 131 242 2691; fax: +44 (0) 131 242 2686. (S. Stock).
  • ,
  • Jane Norman

      Affiliations

    • University of Edinburgh Division of Reproductive and Developmental Sciences, Centre for Reproductive Biology, Queen’s Medical Research Institute, Little France, Edinburgh EH16 5TJ, UK

References 

  1. Confidential Enquiry into Maternal and Child Health . Perinatal Mortality 2007: United Kingdom. London: CEMACH; 2009;
  2. Information Services Division NHS Scotland . NHS Quality Improvement Scotland. Scottish Perinatal and Infant Mortality and Morbidity Report 2007. Edinburgh: ISD; 2008;
  3. Norwitz ER, Edusa V, Park JS. Maternal physiology and complications of multiple pregnancy. Semin Perinatol. 2005;29:338–348
  4. Gardner MO, Goldenberg RL, Cliver SP, Tucker JM, Nelson KG, Copper RL. The origin and outcome of preterm twin pregnancies. Obstet Gynecol. 1995;85:553–557
  5. Ananth CV, Joseph KS, Oyelese Y, Demissie K, Vintzileos AM. Trends in twin preterm birth subtypes in the United States, 1989 through 2000: impact on perinatal mortality. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2005;193(3 Pt 2):1076–1082
  6. Goldenberg RL, Iams JD, Miodovnik M, et al. The preterm prediction study: risk factors in twin gestations. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Maternal–Fetal Medicine Units Network. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1996;175(4 Pt 1):1047–1053
  7. McDonald S, Murphy K, Beyene J, Ohlsson A. Perinatal outcomes of in vitro fertilization twins: a systematic review and meta-analyses. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2005;193:141–152
  8. Wennerholm UB, Holm B, Mattsby-Baltzer I, et al. Fetal fibronectin, endotoxin, bacterial vaginosis and cervical length as predictors of preterm birth and neonatal morbidity in twin pregnancies. Br J Obstet Gynaecol. 1997;104:1398–1404
  9. Honest H, Bachmann LM, Coomarasamy A, Gupta JK, Kleijnen J, Khan KS. Accuracy of cervical transvaginal sonography in predicting preterm birth: a systematic review. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 2003;22:305–322
  10. Meis PJ, Klebanoff M, Thom E, et al. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Maternal–Fetal Medicine Units Network. Prevention of recurrent preterm delivery by 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone caproate. N Engl J Med. 2003;348:2379–2385
  11. Fonseca EB, Celik E, Parra M, Singh M, Nicolaides KH. Fetal Medicine Foundation Second Trimester Screening Group. Progesterone and the risk of preterm birth among women with a short cervix. N Engl J Med. 2007;357:462–469
  12. Rouse DJ, Caritis SN, Peaceman AM, et al. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Maternal–Fetal Medicine Units Network. A trial of 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone caproate to prevent prematurity in twins. N Engl J Med. 2007;357:454–461
  13. Norman JE, Mackenzie F, Owen P, et al. Progesterone for the prevention of preterm birth in twin pregnancy (STOPPIT): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study and meta-analysis. Lancet. 2009;373(9680):2034–2040
  14. Caritis SN, Rouse DJ, Peaceman AM, et al. Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), Maternal–Fetal Medicine Units Network (MFMU). Prevention of preterm birth in triplets using 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone caproate: a randomized controlled trial. Obstet Gynecol. 2009;113(2 Pt 1):285–292
  15. Berghella V, Odibo AO, To MS, Rust OA, Althuisius SM. Cerclage for short cervix on ultrasonography: meta-analysis of trials using individual patient-level data. Obstet Gynecol. 2005;106:181–189
  16. Mendelson CR. Minireview: fetal–maternal hormonal signaling in pregnancy and labor. Molec Endocrinol. 2009;23:947–954
  17. Osman I, Young A, Ledingham MA, et al. Leukocyte density and pro-inflammatory cytokine expression in human fetal membranes, decidua, cervix and myometrium before and during labour at term. Molec Hum Reprod. 2003;9:41–45
  18. Lindstrom TM, Bennett PR. The role of nuclear factor kappa B in human labour. Reproduction. 2005;130:569–581
  19. Kelly RW. Inflammatory mediators and cervical ripening. J Reprod Immunol. 2002;57:217–224
  20. Chow L, Lye SJ. Expression of the gap junction protein connexin-43 is increased in the human myometrium toward term and with the onset of labor. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1994;170:788–795
  21. Mesiano S. Myometrial progesterone responsiveness and the control of human parturition. J Soc Gynecol Invest. 2004;11:193–202
  22. Romero R, Espinoza J, Kusanovic JP, et al. The preterm parturition syndrome. BJOG. 2006;113(Suppl. 3):17–42
  23. Ticconi C, Lye SJ. Placenta and fetal membranes in human parturition and preterm delivery – a workshop report. Placenta. 2002;23(Suppl. A):S149–S152
  24. McLean M, Smith R. Corticotrophin-releasing hormone and human parturition. Reproduction. 2001;121:493–501
  25. Condon JC, Jeyasuria P, Faust JM, Mendelson CR. Surfactant protein secreted by the maturing mouse fetal lung acts as a hormone that signals the initiation of parturition. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2004;101:4978–4983
  26. Ou CW, Orsino A, Lye SJ. Expression of connexin-43 and connexin-26 in the rat myometrium during pregnancy and labor is differentially regulated by mechanical and hormonal signals. Endocrinology. 1997;138:5398–5407
  27. Oldenhof AD, Shynlova OP, Liu M, Langille BL, Lye SJ. Mitogen-activated protein kinases mediate stretch-induced c-fos mRNA expression in myometrial smooth muscle cells. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2002;283:C1530–C1539
  28. Mitchell JA, Shynlova O, Langille BL, Lye SJ. Mechanical stretch and progesterone differentially regulate activator protein-1 transcription factors in primary rat myometrial smooth muscle cells. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2004;287:E439–E445
  29. Korita D, Sagawa N, Itoh H, et al. Cyclic mechanical stretch augments prostacyclin production in cultured human uterine myometrial cells from pregnant women: possible involvement of up-regulation of prostacyclin synthase expression. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2002;87:5209–5219
  30. Terzidou V, Sooranna SR, Kim LU, Thornton S, Bennett PR, Johnson MR. Mechanical stretch up-regulates the human oxytocin receptor in primary human uterine myocytes. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2005;90:237–246
  31. Li Y, Reznichenko M, Tribe RM, et al. Stretch activates human myometrium via ERK, caldesmon and focal adhesion signaling. PLoS ONE. 2009;4:e7489
  32. Mohan AR, Sooranna SR, Lindstrom TM, Johnson MR, Bennett PR. The effect of mechanical stretch on cyclooxygenase type 2 expression and activator protein-1 and nuclear factor-kappaB activity in human amnion cells. Endocrinology. 2007;148:1850–1857
  33. Terakawa K, Itoh H, Sagawa N, et al. Site-specific augmentation of amnion cyclooxygenase-2 and decidua vera phospholipase-A2 expression in labor: possible contribution of mechanical stretch and interleukin-1 to amnion prostaglandin synthesis. J Soc Gynecol Invest. 2002;9:68–74
  34. Sfakianaki AK, Buhimschi IA, Pettker CM, et al. Ultrasonographic evaluation of myometrial thickness in twin pregnancies. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2008;198:530.e1–530.e10
  35. Lyall F, Lye S, Teoh T, Cousins F, Milligan G, Robson S. Expression of Gsalpha, connexin-43, connexin-26, and EP1, 3, and 4 receptors in myometrium of prelabor singleton versus multiple gestations and the effects of mechanical stretch and steroids on Gsalpha. J Soc Gynecol Invest. 2002;9:299–307
  36. Turton P, Neilson JP, Quenby S, Burdyga T, Wray S. A short review of twin pregnancy and how oxytocin receptor expression may differ in multiple pregnancy. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2009;144(Suppl. 1):S40–S44
  37. TambyRaja RL, Ratnam SS. Plasma steroid changes in twin pregnancies. Prog Clin Biol Res. 1981;69A:189–195
  38. Smith RS, Mesiano S, McGrath S. Hormone trajectories leading to human birth. Regul Pept. 2002;108:159–164
  39. Smith R, Smith JI, Shen X, et al. Patterns of plasma corticotropin-releasing hormone, progesterone, estradiol, and estriol change and the onset of human labor. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2009;94:2066–2074
  40. Toyoshima K, Narahara H, Furukawa M, Frenkel RA, Johnston JM. Platelet-activating factor. Role in fetal lung development and relationship to normal and premature labor. Clin Perinatol. 1995;22:263–280
  41. Leveno KJ, Quirk JG, Whalley PJ, Herbert WN, Trubey R. Fetal lung maturation in twin gestation. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1984;148:405–411
  42. Mazor M, Hershkovitz R, Ghezzi F, Maymon E, Horowitz S, Leiberman JR. Intraamniotic infection in patients with preterm labor and twin pregnancies. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 1996;75:624–627
  43. Gyetvai K, Hannah ME, Hodnett ED, Ohlsson A. Tocolytics for preterm labor: a systematic review. Obstet Gynecol. 1999;94(5 Pt 2):869–877
  44. Garite TJ, Bentley DL, Hamer CA, et al. Uterine activity characteristics in multiple gestations. Obstet Gynecol. 1990;76(Suppl. 1):56S–59S
  45. Gabriel R, Harika G, Saniez D, Durot S, Quereux C, Wahl P. Prolonged intravenous ritodrine therapy: a comparison between multiple and singleton pregnancies. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 1994;57:65–71
  46. Roberts D, Dalziel S. Antenatal corticosteroids for accelerating fetal lung maturation for women at risk of preterm birth. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2006;(3):CD004454
  47. Turrentine MA, Wilson PD, Wilkins IA. Retrospective analysis of the effect of antenatal steroid administration on the incidence of respiratory distress syndrome in preterm twin pregnancies. Am J Perinatol. 1996;13:351–354
  48. Garite TJ, Clark RH, Elliott JP, Thorp JA. Twins and triplets: the effect of plurality and growth on neonatal outcome compared with singleton infants. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2004;191:700–707
  49. Dodd JM, Robinson JS, Crowther CA, Chan A. Stillbirth and neonatal outcomes in South Australia 1991–2000. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2003;189:1731–1736
  50. ACOG Practice Bulletin #56: multiple gestation: complicated twin, triplet, and high-order multifetal pregnancy. Obstet Gynecol. 2004;104:869–883
  51. Barrett J, Bocking A. The SOGC consensus statement on management of twin pregnancies (part I). SOGC. 2000;22:519–529
  52. Suzuki S, Otsubo Y, Sawa R, Yoneyama Y, Araki T. Clinical trial of induction of labor versus expectant management in twin pregnancy. Gynecol Obstet Invest. 2000;49:24–27
  53. Smith GC, Shah I, White IR, Pell JP, Dobbie R. Mode of delivery and the risk of delivery-related perinatal death among twins at term: a retrospective cohort study of 8073 births. BJOG. 2005;112:1139–1144
  54. Peaceman AM, Kuo L, Feinglass J. Infant morbidity and mortality associated with vaginal delivery in twin gestations. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2009;200:462.e1–462.e6
  55. Cruikshank DP. Intrapartum management of twin gestations. Obstet Gynecol. 2007;109:1167–1176
  56. Kilby M, Baker P, Critchley H, Field D. Multiple pregnancy. London: RCOG; 2006;
  57. Rayburn WF, Lavin JP, Miodovnik M, Varner MW. Multiple gestation: time interval between delivery of the first and second twins. Obstet Gynecol. 1984;63:502–506
  58. Leung TY, Tam WH, Leung TN, Lok IH, Lau TK. Effect of twin-to-twin delivery interval on umbilical cord blood gas in the second twins. BJOG. 2002;109:63–67

PII: S1744-165X(10)00056-9

doi: 10.1016/j.siny.2010.06.006

Seminars in Fetal & Neonatal Medicine
Volume 15, Issue 6 , Pages 336-341 , December 2010