title: [Neonatal, neurologic and psychosocial findings in higher order multiple births. Follow-up for 3 to 10 years].
abstract: We examined the outcome of 9 triplet, 3 quadruplet, 1 quintuplet and 1 sixtuplet pregnancies delivered between 1979-1989 at the perinatal center of the RWTH Aachen. The course of pregnancy and neonatal period were retrospectively analysed. The follow-up program covered at least 3, up to a maximum of 10 years. 12 families could be interviewed concerning psychosocial effects. The neonatal mortality was 4%. Neonatal morbidity; hyaline membrane disease (n = 18), intraventricular hemorrhage (n = 9), pneumothorax (n = 7), patent ductus arteriosus (n = 7), bronchopulmonary dysplasia (n = 8). At the age of 2 years 63% of the children were considered to be normal on developmental assessment, 17% showed mild, 20% severe developmental delay. With 3 to 10 years 83% were normal, 17% severely handicapped. In total 20% of the children died or showed severe handicap. Higher order multiple pregnancies make great demands on the perinatal medicine and lead in spite of an improved prognosis to a remaining burden for the children and their parents.
authors.affiliation: Kinderklinik, RWTH Aachen.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Düchting-Mühler
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Funk
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Geilen
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kotlarek
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hörnchen
mesh_terms: D001925:Brain Damage, Chronic / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D016487:Parenting; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011272:Pregnancy, Multiple / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012917:Social Adjustment; D012931:Social Environment; D015996:Survival Rate