Myomectomy during the first trimester associated with fetal limb anomalies and hydrocephalus in a twin pregnancy

Objectives To present the complications of a twin pregnancy after first trimester myomectomy and to discuss the possible etiologic relationship. Case report A 44-year-old primigravida with a dichorionic-diamniotic twin pregnancy underwent myomectomy in another hospital at 12 weeks' gestational age. At 28 weeks the patient was referred to our unit because of ventriculomegaly and limb anomalies in the second twin. The patient underwent a Caesarean section at 37 weeks of gestation delivering twin A, a healthy female weighing 3235 g and twin B, a female weighing 2810 g with hydrocephalus and limb anomalies (clubfeet and hypoplasia of the nails and terminal phalanges). The placenta from twin A was normal, but in the placenta of twin B haemorrhage, thrombosis and infarction were noted. Conclusions Despite several reports of myomectomy in pregnancy without any problems for mother and fetus, the authors believe that myomectomy - especially in the first trimester - may be associated with the type of problems observed in the present case. The pathophysiological relationship between placental trauma and haemodynamic alterations as a possible cause of the malformations in twin B is discussed. Copyright (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.