Do twins and other multiple pregnancies have higher fetal mortality rates?
Fetal mortality rates are much higher for twin and triplet and higher-order pregnancies than for pregnancies with a single fetus. The fetal mortality rate for twin pregnancies (16.08) was 2.7 times the rate for singleton pregnancies (5.85). The fetal mortality rate for triplet and higher-order pregnancies (27.18) was 4.6 times the rate for singleton pregnancies. In 2005, 9% of fetal deaths in the United States were from a multiple pregnancy, compared with 3% of live births (1). The increased risk for multiple pregnancies may relate in part to increased rates of preterm labor, fetal growth restriction, maternal hypertension, and placental and cord problems (9). Many multiple pregnancies also result from assisted reproductive technologies, which may increase fetal mortality risk (10).
