Triplet births in the United States. An epidemic of high-risk pregnancies.
OBJECTIVE
To more precisely understand the changes in triplet births in recent years.


METHODS
Analysis of recent government and medical publications pertaining to triplets.


RESULTS
Triplet births are at much greater risk than singletons of poor birth outcomes. More than 9 of 10 triplet births are born preterm (< 37 completed weeks of gestation) as compared with < 1 of 10 singleton infants. The average weight of a triplet newborn (1,698 g) is one-half that of a singleton newborn (3,358 g). The infant death rate for triplet and other higher-order multiple births is 12 times higher than that for singletons (93.7 as compared with 7.8 infant deaths per 1,000 live births).


CONCLUSIONS
Based on their frequency of preterm birth, low birth weight and infant death rate, it is appropriate to characterize all triplet pregnancies as high risk.
Keith
Louis G
LG
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Northwestern University Medical School, Center for Study of Multiple Birth, Chicago, Illinois, USA. lgk395@nwu.edu
Oleszczuk
Jaroslaw J
JJ
D000328:Adult; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018566:Pregnancy, High-Risk; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014310:Triplets / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology