Sonographic prediction of significant intertwin birth weight discordance

Object: To evaluate the usefulness of sonographic prediction of significant birth weight discordance in twin pregnancies. Study design: Included in the study were live twin pairs with a gestational age of 24 weeks at birth who had received a sonographic examination within 28 days of delivery. Correlation tests and ROC curves were used to evaluate the predictability of significant intertwin growth discordance. Results: A total of 575 twin pregnancies were included in the study. The estimated discordance by sonographic examination proved to be an effective predictor of discordant twin growth. The birth weight discordance estimated by sonography tended to underestimate the degree of discordant twins. Conclusion: If a sonographic examination is done within 28 days of delivery, it is a reliable predictor of twin birth weight discordance at the following levels: 15%, 20%, 25% or 30%. In order to obtain a higher sensitivity, the cut-off value of estimated birth weight discordance needs to be decreased by 5%. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.