Evaluating Risk in Twin Pregnancies
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Evaluating Risk Antenatally in Twin Pregnancies – A Pilot Study
IRAS ID
264625
Contact name
Alexander Heazell
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Manchester
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 11 months, 30 days
Research summary
Twin pregnancies have an increased rate of complications during pregnancy and after birth, at worst this can result in the death or severe disability of one or both twins. Some of these complications are known to relate to complications unique to certain types of twins e.g. identical twins which share a placenta. In other cases they may relate to premature birth or a reduction in growth of one of the twins, but in other cases factors associated with adverse outcome are not known.
Most research linking mother’s characteristics, behaviours or factors linked with her pregnancy and pregnancy outcome have been researched in singleton pregnancies. This means that information for mothers pregnant with twins is often extrapolated from mothers who only have one baby. We are doing this study to understand which characteristics, behaviours or factors are associated with complications in twin pregnancies.
This study, based in two large UK teaching hospitals. The study will recruit mothers who have a twin pregnancy at approximately 12-16 weeks of pregnancy. Women will be asked to complete a questionnaire at 20, 28 and 36 weeks of pregnancy. A research midwife will record information from antenatal appointments and ultrasound scans performed routinely, as well as information about the outcome of pregnancy.
This information will help us plan a larger study which will give us more definite information about risk factors for adverse outcome in twin pregnancies. Such a study would mean that mothers with twin pregnancies receive accurate information and have appropriate care in pregnancy with the aim of improving outcomes in twin pregnancies.
REC name
North West - Greater Manchester West Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/NW/0522
Date of REC Opinion
8 Aug 2019
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion