In this study, when we adjusted for several con-founders (excepting gestational age), we observed an elevated risk for neonatal mortality among twin births to unmarried mothers regardless of the racial group. Loading the gestational age variable into the model confirmed that shortened gestation was the pathway (intermediary variable) through which the preponderance of neonatal mortality [...]

Out of a total of 446,570 twins delivered in the United States, 395,540 (88.6%) were live births to either white (325,130 or 82.2%) or to black mothers (70,410 or 17.8%). Results of comparisons between twins of married versus those of single gravidas with respect to selected sociodemographic characteristics stratified by race are summarized in Table [...]

The data set, “The Matched Multiple Birth File,” assembled by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) was used for this analysis. This data set includes U.S. live births and fetal deaths among twins and higher order multiples for the years 1995 through 1998. The completeness of this file is excellent (99%), and the procedures [...]

INTRODUCTION The neonatal period is very critical for infant survival and development. The increased vulnerability of the neonate is responsible for its lower survival threshold as compared to postneonates. In general, neonatal mortality rates are about twice the post-neonatal rates for nearly all racial/ethnic groups. Twin neonates are even more vulnerable than singletons. National rates [...]