[A prospective analysis of twin deliveries in a 6-month period at the Tygerberg hospital].

All pregnancies involving twins weighing 500 g and more at birth were followed up prospectively over 6 months. There were 53 twins with a mean gestational age of 36.1 weeks. Vertex presentations occurred in 59.4% of the infants and breech presentations in 40%. There were 72 vaginal deliveries (68%) and 34 caesarean sections (32%). Of the vaginal deliveries 31 were normal vertex deliveries (29.2%), 16 forceps deliveries (15.1%) and 20 breech deliveries (23.6%). The mean birth weight was 2,150 g, with a range of 560 - 3,400 g. A total of 14 infants died (13.2%), 8 in utero and 6 in the neonatal period (less than or equal to 7 days). Infants who survived and those who died during the early neonatal period (less than or equal to 7 days) were compared: the mean gestational ages (36.6 and 33.7 weeks) and mean birth weights (2,280.5 and 1,319.0 g) both differed significantly (P less than 0.05), but there were no significant differences in fetal presentation and method of delivery. The caesarean section rate could probably have been lower, since some of the indications were rather vague. Neonatal mortality was significantly influenced by gestational age and birth weight and not by fetal presentation and mode of delivery.