Delayed delivery of a twin - a hazard or an acceptable method? Prospective study.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the possibility of postponement of the delivery of fetus B after preterm delivery or late abortion of fetus A in multiple pregnancy. METHODS: Between January 2000 and September 2010, we tried to delay delivery of the second twin in 18 cases. Group A includes women that experienced a preterm premature rupture of the membranes in fetus A (PPROM), group B includes women who presented with regular uterine activity and the vaginal finding indicated unavoidable late miscarriage or preterm delivery. RESULTS: Thirteen (72.22%) of the 18 attempts were evaluated as unsuccessful. The interval of delay of delivery of fetus B ranged between 24 and 384 hours. Five cases were successful. CONCLUSION: Indication for applying this therapeutic procedure to a pregnant woman must be strictly selective. The procedure will be also in future more or less reserved for women in which subsequent pregnancy is for different reasons highly improbable.