Abstract
Objective: To determine if an excessive rate of gestational weight gain (GWG) in twin pregnancies is associated with adverse obstetric outcomes.
Methods: Retrospective cohort study of twin pregnancies delivered at the University of California, San Diego 2001-2014. Women were included if they had adequate or excessive rates of GWG as determined by Institute of Medicine guidelines. Demographic and outcome variables were collected by chart review.
Results: Four hundred and eighty-nine twin pregnancies met inclusion criteria. Of which, 40.5% had adequate rates of GWG and 41.5% had excessive rates of GWG. The rates of preterm birth and gestational diabetes were similar between the two groups. Gestational hypertension and preeclampsia were more common in women with excessive GWG (37.9% versus 19.7%; p < 0.01). This finding persisted in multivariate analysis. The mean birth weight percentiles were higher in the excessive GWG group and these women were also less likely to have an infant with a birth weight <10th percentile (21.4% versus 35.9%, p < 0.01).
Conclusions: Excessive GWG is associated with a higher risk for gestational hypertension and preeclampsia, but no other adverse perinatal outcomes. Infants born to mothers with excessive GWG are less likely to be small for gestational age than those born to women with adequate GWG.