Objective: To compare the occurrence of peripartum hysterectomy between singleton and multiple gestations.
Methods: This was a historical cohort study comparing the occurrence of peripartum hysterectomy between singleton and multiple gestations at Banner Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center, Phoenix, Arizona, from January 1, 1996, to December 31, 2001.
Results: During the study years, 42,595 singleton, 1,131 twin, 164 triplet, 35 quadruplet, and 2 quintuplet deliveries occurred. A total of 100 peripartum hysterectomies were performed. Of these hysterectomies, 88 occurred in singletons, 5 in twins, 6 in triplets, and 1 in quadruplets. The overall occurrence of peripartum hysterectomy was 2.28 per 1,000, and the occurrence of emergent peripartum hysterectomy was 1.73 per 1,000. Multiple gestations had a significantly greater risk of emergent peripartum hysterectomy than singletons (odds ratio [OR] 6.04, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.28-11.11; P < .001). This difference was more pronounced among higher-order multiple gestations: twins (OR 2.95, 95% CI 1.22-7.13, P = .03), triplets (OR 25.22, 95% CI 11.02-57.77, P < .001), and quadruplets (OR 19.53, 95% CI 3.34-114.69, P = .04). When compared with singletons, higher-order multiple gestations had nearly a 24-fold increased risk of emergent peripartum hysterectomy (OR 23.97, 95% CI 11.05-51.99, P < .001).
Conclusion: Multiple gestations have a significantly higher occurrence of emergent peripartum hysterectomy than singletons. This information should be used in counseling and managing patients with these pregnancies.