Hematological parameters after birth in preterm twins

Abstract

Background The rising rates of twin births, coupled with increasing trends in medically assisted reproduction techniques and preterm deliveries, emphasize the need for comprehensive understanding of hematological characteristics in preterm twins, particularly given the limited data availability from recent studies with small sample sizes. Aims To assess the potential association between twin pregnancy and the hematological parameters and ratios obtained from the first day of life complete blood count. Study design This cohort study was conducted via retrospective data collection from electronic clinical files, from January 2008 to December 2022. Subjects Inborn preterm infants with gestational age less than 30 weeks. Outcome measures The primary outcome in study was the difference in the hematological parameters and ratios obtained from the blood count collected on the first day of life. A secondary analysis thoroughly characterized the information regarding the maternal profile, pregnancy, delivery, resuscitation and neonatal morbidity throughout NICU care. Results One hundred and ninety preterm infants were included in this study, comprising 48 (25.3%) twins and 142 (74.7%) singletons. The multivariate analysis revealed a subtle statistically significant association between twin pregnancies and lower erythroblasts count (OR=1.02; p=0.029; IC95% 1.002-1.030). Conclusions Our findings do not support the hypothesis that twin pregnancy influences hematological parameters and ratios in the first day of life blood count.