Clinical study comparing outcome of post in vitro fertilisation triplet pregnancy reduced to twins versus non reduced in vitro fertilisation triplet pregnancies

Abstract

Background: There has been an upsurge in the number of multiple pregnancies with its attributability to increasing use of artificial reproductive techniques. To study clinical outcome of post IVF triplet pregnancy reduced to twin pregnancies compared to those without triplet reduction.Methods: Hospital designed comparative study. 31 subjects were studied for comparative study design with triplets obtained after infertility treatment (assisted post-IVF). Out of 31, 15 subjects were expectantly managed who refused reduction while 16 subjects chose reduction to twins. Outcomes like prematurity, complications in neonate, birth weight discordance, neonatal mortality and maternal complications were studied.Results: The fetal (triplet) reduction group was associated with significant (p<0.002) higher neonatal birth weight as compared to non-reduced group. The fetal reduction group had significantly lower incidence of prematurity and neonatal complications like hyperbilirubinemia, respiratory distress syndrome and neonatal sepsis. The maternal complications were also higher in nonreduced in terms of PPROM, gestational hypertension, gestational diabetes mellitus, intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy and gestational hypertension.Conclusions: It is indicated that the reduction of triplet to twins is effective considering more complications with non-reduced group and hence reduction improves favorable pregnancy outcomes.