Kushangi Chamilka Dissanayake¹, Mohamed Riehan², R. Prathapan³, Nalin Gamaathige¹
1- Neonatology Unit, De Soysa Hospital for Women, Sri Lanka
2- Obstetrics and Gynecology unit, De Soysa Hospital for Women, Sri Lanka
3- Obstetrics and Gynecology Unit, De Soysa Hospital for Women, Sri Lanka
Corresponding Author:
Kushangi Chamilka Dissanayake (
kushchamd@gmail.com)
Abstract Body
Introduction: Twin pregnancies carry a high risk of preterm birth (57 .4%). Delayed interval delivery (DID) is a rare intervention to prolong gestation for the second twin following the previable delivery of the first. Survival of both twins following DID is exceedingly rare in documented literature.
Case Report: A mother with a history of four second-trimester miscarriages due to cervicalinsufficiency underwent prophylactic cerclage. At 25 weeks, she delivered the first twin (580g). The umbilical cord was ligated in situ; the second twin and both Placenta remained in utero under stringent monitoring, infection control, and tocolysis. After a 52-day latency period, thesecond twin was delivered at 32 weeks, weighing 1.8 kg. The first twin required extensive NICU care for extreme prematurity , receiving surfactant therapy and mechanical ventilation, management of neonatal sepsis, apnea, coagulopathy ,and bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Following nutritional rehabilitation with donor breast milk, the infant was discharged after 95 days (1.6 kg) with normal neurodevelopment. The second twin required only routine SCBU care and was discharged at 34 weeks corrected age in good health.
Conclusion: This case demonstrates the feasibility of DID in DCDA twin pregnancies, even inresource-limited settings. Success requires rigorous maternal monitoring and specialized neonatal care. This report contributes to the sparse literature on dual twin survival, representing the longest inter-delivery interval documented in the local literature.