The association between maternal factors and perinatal outcomes in triplet pregnancies.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the associations between maternal factors and outcomes in triplet pregnancies.


METHODS
This was a historic cohort study of 194 triplet pregnancies of >or=24 weeks of gestation that were delivered from 1983 through 2001 from five medical centers.


RESULTS
In analyses that were limited to pregnancies with all live-born triplets (178 pregnancies), women with a previous good outcome (>2500 g + >37 weeks of gestation) had longer gestations (+7.9 days, P =.03), better rates of fetal growth (+4.9 g/wk, P <.0001), and higher birth weights (+153 g, P <.0001). Maternal weight gains of <36 pounds by 24 weeks of gestation were associated with lower birth weights (-197 g, P <.0001), and fetal growth rates at <or=25th percentile were associated with a shorter length of gestation (-36.7 days, P <.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
Previous obstetric outcome and weight gain by 24 weeks of gestation were associated significantly with fetal growth rate and birth weight; fetal growth rate, in turn, was associated significantly with length of gestation.
Luke
Barbara
B
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Miami School of Medicine, FL 33136, USA.
Nugent
Clark
C
van de Ven
Cosmas
C
Martin
Dibe
D
O'sullivan
Mary Jo
MJ
Eardley
Sandra
S
Witter
Frank R
FR
Mauldin
Jill
J
Newman
Roger B
RB
D000328:Adult; D001724:Birth Weight; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011247:Pregnancy; D011272:Pregnancy, Multiple; D015430:Weight Gain