Trends and Outcomes of Twin Births in Southwest Nigeria: A 14-Year Retrospective Cohort Study

Abstract

Background and objectives: The study aimed to analyze the prevalence, trends, and outcomes of twin pregnancies in Ile-Ife, Nigeria, over two distinct periods. Materials and methods: This research, based on a 14-year retrospective cohort study, scrutinized twin births occurring in two-time frames: recent years (2012–2018; Period II) and the recent past (2005–2011; Period I) at a University Teaching Hospital in Ile-Ife, Nigeria. The inclusion criteria were limited to twin births, excluding singleton and higher-order gestations. Outcomes were evaluated based on several parameters, including mode of delivery, birth weights, fetal gender combinations, APGAR scores, perinatal mortality, and maternal complications. Data analysis was conducted using the 26 th version of Statistical Package for the Social Science, with a significance threshold of p < 0.05. Results: The study documented a stable prevalence of twin gestations, registering at 20.7 per 1,000 births without a significant discrepancy between the two time periods (21.7‰ versus 19.7‰; p = 0.699). Individuals from the Yoruba tribe predominantly featured in both cohorts, showing no considerable variation between the two time periods [83 (95.4) vs. 120 (99.2); p -value = 0.116]). The data exhibited recurrent instances of caesarean delivery (65.6% vs. 50.2%, p = 0.119), vertex-vertex presentation (38.0% vs. 44.7%, p = 0.352), and differing sex combinations (33.3% vs. 38.0%, p = 0.722) across both time frames. Twin II neonates born through Caesarean section were more frequently admitted to neonatal intensive care units than Twin I (5.1% versus 4.6%; p = 0.001). The recent years witnessed a surge in preterm labor complications, notably higher than the earlier period (17.1% versus 7.8%; p = 0.008). Conclusion: The prevalence of twin births in Ile-Ife, Nigeria, demonstrates a fluctuating decline. To comprehensively understand the dynamics of twin births in the region, there is a pressing need for expansive, community-centric research in southwest Nigeria.