[Short-term outcome of infants from triplet pregnancies. A series of 45 pregnancies].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate outcome of triplets pregnancies.


METHODS
A retrospective study about children of 45 triplet pregnancies which occurred spontaneously or after assisted reproductive technologies. All were managed by the same obstetrical and pediatric team.


RESULTS
Mean birth weight was 1800 g and 26% of children were very low birth weights (< 1500 g). There was no difference in the mean Apgar score of pH between first, second and third infant. Neonatal and perinatal mortality rate were respectively 60 and 75%. Incidence of respiratory distress syndrome was 29%, hyaline membrane disease 11%, intraventricular hemorrhage (grade 4) 1.3%, necrotizing enterocolitis 10.5% and bronchopulmonary dysplasia 4%. Only 10% of the infants were not hospitalized and were kept by their mother. 38% of the newborns had to be hospitalized in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, with a mean stay of 6 days. At birth, 34% of the babies required intubation for artificial ventilation.


CONCLUSIONS
The main problem of triplet pregnancies is high prematurity.
Charasson
T
T
Services de Gynécologie-Obstétrique, Hôpital de La Grave, Toulouse.
Lenoir
S
S
Pessonnier
A
A
Fournié
A
A
D001034:Apgar Score; D001724:Birth Weight; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D015931:Intensive Care, Neonatal; D007902:Length of Stay; D009017:Morbidity; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014310:Triplets