Multiples born to older moms fare same as or better than those born to younger moms.(Abstract)

2002 OCT 10 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- In contrast to the pattern seen with singleton births, twins born to older mothers do not appear to have a greater risk of birth complications than do twins born to younger mothers, according to a recent study by researchers at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and the University of Kansas.

The study also found that triplets born to older mothers actually fare better than triplets born to younger mothers.

Twin and triplet pregnancies are riskier than singleton pregnancies at any age. However, the greater risks faced by infants born to older mothers may be offset in twin and triplet pregnancies by the fact that many older mothers pregnant with more than one baby conceive through the use of assisted reproductive technology (ART).

Multiples conceived through the use of ART are less likely than those conceived naturally to be identical. This is important because nonidentical multiples have a smaller risk of poor birth outcomes than do identical multiples. Additionally, mothers who conceive multiples via ART tend to be monitored more closely than are mothers who conceive multiples naturally.

The study, published in the September 2002 issue of Fertility and Sterility, examined the risks to children born from twin and triplet pregnancies in older women. These risks included very preterm birth (birth at less than 33 weeks gestation), very low birth weight (less than 1500 g), perinatal death (death occurring between 24 weeks gestation and 6 days after birth), and infant death (death occurring between 6 days and 1 year after birth).

"Twin and triplet pregnancies are generally riskier for both mothers and infants than are singleton pregnancies," said Duane Alexander, MD, director of the NICHD. "However, this study is encouraging because it indicates that twins and triplets born to older mothers do not have any greater risk of poor birth outcomes than do those born to younger mothers."

In the last 2 decades, the increased use of fertility drugs and assisted reproductive technology (ART) have resulted in an increase in the number of twin and triplet pregnancies in women over the age of 35. Although several previous studies have shown that older maternal age is associated with an increased risk of premature birth, low birth weight, and death in singleton pregnancies, few studies have looked at the effect of maternal age on birth outcomes in twin and triplet pregnancies.