2005 - National Women's Hospital - Auckland District Health Board

Table 14: Mode of onset of birth among twin pregnancies
Mode of onset of birth
47
Term births
n=69
Preterm births
n=115
n % n %
CS elective 24 35 28 24
CS emergency before labour 2 3 27 23
Induction of labour 34 49 14 12
Spontaneous labour 9 13 46 40
Of the 38% of twin pregnancies reaching term, 38% were delivered by elective
caesarean or prior to onset of labour. Only 13% went into spontaneous labour.
Table 15: Mode of birth among twin pregnancies
Spontaneous vaginal birth/vaginal breech both
twins
Spontaneous vaginal birth 1 st twin, operative
vaginal 2 nd twin
Operative vaginal 1 st twin, spontaneous vaginal
2 nd twin
2000
n=207
Twin pregnancies
2004
n=188
2005
n=184
n % n % n %
84 41 52 28 53 29
7 3 4 2 8 4.3
9 4 8 4 5 2.7
Instrumental vaginal birth both twins 11 5 7 4 7 3.8
Spontaneous vaginal birth 1 st twin, caesarean
section 2 nd twin
Operative vaginal birth 1 st twin, caesarean section
2 nd twin
4 2 4 2 1 0.5
2 1 5 3 0
CS elective both twins
90 44
48 26 52 28.3
CS emergency both twins
60 32 58 31.5
The twin pregnancies which result in vaginal birth of the first twin followed by
caesarean for the second twin are those best avoided for safety of baby and mother.
There was only one twin birth where this occurred in 2005. However, there was also
little risk of this outcome as 60% of all twin pregnancies were delivered by
caesarean. There is currently no good evidence that caesarean section is necessary
or beneficial for twin pregnancy per se.