What the study found
The study found that placental abruption, a pregnancy complication in which the placenta separates from the uterine wall too early, was associated with higher cardiovascular disease risk in twin offspring through early adulthood. The authors report that part of this association was explained by preterm delivery, meaning birth before 37 weeks of gestation.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors conclude that efforts to optimize obstetric care for people carrying twins to reduce the risk of placental abruption may be worth considering. They also suggest this may have public health benefits by reducing cardiovascular disease in twin offspring.
What the researchers tested
The researchers used the PACER offspring cohort, which linked twin births in New Jersey from 1993 to 2020 with hospitalization and mortality records over 28 years of follow-up. They analyzed the association between placental abruption and nonfatal incident cardiovascular disease, and used a Cox model to estimate how much of the association was mediated through preterm delivery.
What worked and what didn't
Among 116,796 twin births, 2,597 were complicated by placental abruption. Incident cardiovascular disease occurred at a higher rate in abruption births than in nonabruption births, and abruption was associated with a 2.47-fold increased risk of cardiovascular disease in twin offspring. The findings were similar for heart disease and stroke, and about 40% of the total effect was mediated through preterm delivery before 37 weeks; the mediated proportion was greater at earlier delivery ages.
What to keep in mind
The abstract does not describe detailed study limitations. The analysis was restricted to twin offspring in New Jersey, so the summary does not establish whether the same pattern applies outside this setting.
Key points
- Placental abruption was associated with higher cardiovascular disease risk in twin offspring.
- The reported risk increase was 2.47-fold overall.
- About 40% of the association was mediated through preterm delivery before 37 weeks.
- Similar risk patterns were reported for heart disease and stroke.
- The study used linked birth, hospitalization, and mortality records from New Jersey with 28 years of follow-up.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- Placental abruption linked to higher cardiovascular risk in twins
- Authors:
- Rachel Lee, Emily B. Rosenfeld, Linda Valeri, William J. Kostis, Cande V. Ananth
- Institutions:
- Columbia University, Harvard University, Johnson University, Johnson University, Johnson University, Johnson University, Rutgers Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
- Publication date:
- 2026-03-10
- OpenAlex record:
- View
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