This site is intended for healthcare professionals

Go to /sign-in page

You can view 5 more pages without signing in

Complications of labour

Authoring team

  • malpresentations e.g. in twins
    • 45% are cephalic/cephalic
    • 39% are cephalic/breech
    • 9% are breech/breech
    • 5% are cephalic/transverse
    • 2% are transverse/transve or breech/transverse

  • postpartum haemorrhage - 2.5 fold increase over singleton rate to 10% (1)

  • cord prolapse - often in association with malpresentation - increased 6 fold in twins (to 2.3%) (1)

  • locked twins - extremely rare - aftercoming head of one twin locked with forthcoming head of the other - usually requires delivery by Caesarean section

  • twin to twin transfusion - placental anastomoses may give rise to growth discordance or death of one or both twins

  • antepartum haemorrhage - studies suggest an increased APH in multiple pregnancies but much of the APH is attributed to unknown origin; a few to placental abruption or placenta praevia

Reference:

  • Chamberlain. ABC of Antenatal Care. Multiple pregnancy. BMJ 1991; 303: 111-115.

Create an account to add page annotations

Annotations allow you to add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation. E.g. a website or number. This information will always show when you visit this page.

The content herein is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the need to apply professional clinical judgement when diagnosing or treating any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

Connect

Copyright 2024 Oxbridge Solutions Limited, a subsidiary of OmniaMed Communications Limited. All rights reserved. Any distribution or duplication of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. Oxbridge Solutions receives funding from advertising but maintains editorial independence.