title: Triplet and higher-order births: what is the optimal delivery route?
abstract: Data concerning 16 triplet and higher-order deliveries (resulting in a total of 56 infants) are reviewed. The vaginal delivery rate was 81%. Maternal morbidity was more serious after abdominal delivery. Prematurity (less than 36 weeks gestation) rate amounted to 68%. Overall perinatal and neonatal mortalities for infants born after 28 weeks gestation and weighing at least 1000 g were 7% and 3%, respectively. We doubt that neonatal outcome could have been markedly improved by performing more cesareans. The importance of antenatal care is stressed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, University Hospital, Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thiery
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kermans
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Derom
mesh_terms: D001724:Birth Weight; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000009:adverse effects; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007746:Labor Presentation; D007743:Labor, Obstetric; D010062:Ovulation Induction; D011247:Pregnancy; D011783:Quadruplets; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014310:Triplets