Weight gain during twin pregnancy with favorable pregnancy outcomes in Japan: A retrospective investigation for new criteria based on perinatal registry data

In 2009, the United States Institute of Medicine (IOM) reported the optimal gestational weight gain (GWG) during twin pregnancy based on the pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI). However, there are ethnic variations in the relationship between GWG and pregnancy outcomes. We aimed to establish the criteria for optimal GWG during twin pregnancy in Japan. The study included cases of dichorionic diamniotic twin pregnancy registered in the Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology Successive Pregnancy Birth Registry System between 2013 and 2017. We analyzed data for cases wherein both babies were appropriate for gestational age and delivered at term. Cases were classified into four groups based on the pre-pregnancy BMI: underweight (BMI <18.5 kg/m(2)), normal weight (18.5 kg/m(2) ≤BMI< 25.0 kg/m(2)), overweight (25.0 kg/m(2) ≤BMI< 30.0 kg/m(2)), and obese (BMI ≥30.0 kg/m(2)) and we calculated the 25(th)–75(th) percentile range for GWG for the cases. The 3,936 cases were included. The GWG ranges were 11.5–16.5 kg, 10.3–16.0 kg, 6.9–14.7 kg, and 2.2–11.7 kg in the underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obese groups, respectively. Thus, in the current study, the optimal GWG during twin pregnancy was lower than that specified by the IOM criteria. Factoring this in maternal management may improve the outcomes of twin pregnancies in Japan.