Perinatal outcome and timing of selective fetal reduction in dichorionic diamniotic twin pregnancies: a single-center retrospective study.

Objective: The study aimed to evaluate the pregnancy outcomes of dichorionic diamniotic twin pregnancies that were reduced to singletons at different gestational ages.

Study Design: This was a retrospective cohort study of twin pregnancies that underwent fetal reduction to singletons in a single tertiary referral center between 2011 and 2020. A total of 433 cases were included. The cohort was divided into five groups according to gestational age at surgery: Group A: <16 weeks (125 cases); Group B: 16-19 weeks (80 cases); Group C: 20-23 weeks (74 cases); Group D: 24-26 weeks (48 cases); and Group E: ≥27 weeks (106 cases). Outcome data were obtained by reviewing the electronic medical records or interviews.

Results: Selective reduction was technically successful. The clinical characteristics of the population were not different. The overall live birth rate and the survival rate were 96.5 and 95.4%, respectively. Although the rate of spontaneous miscarriage was comparable, gestational age at delivery significantly differed among groups ( < 0.001). Additionally, there was a trend that gestational age at delivery decreased with the increasing gestational age at surgery in Groups A, B, C, and D, whereas gestational age at delivery in Group E was later than that in Group D. In Groups A, B, C, and D, the rates of preterm birth at <32 weeks and <34 weeks increased with the increasing gestational age at surgery, while the rates in Group E were significantly lower than that in Group D. Regression analysis showed that timing of reduction may be an independent factor after adjusting for maternal age, parity, pre-pregnancy BMI, ART, and cervical length.

Conclusion: Selective reduction performed by experienced hands for a dizygotic abnormal twin is safe and effective. Gestational age at surgery (<26 weeks) was inversely correlated with gestational age at delivery and positively with the rate of preterm birth. Reduction after 27 weeks, where legal, can be performed with a good outcome for the retained fetus.