Early weight gain does not decrease the incidence of low birth weight and small for gestational age triplets in mothers with normal pre-gestational body mass index.
OBJECTIVE
To examine if the recommended weight gain of >680 g/week during the first 24 weeks of pregnancy decreases the frequency of adverse birth weight outcomes in triplet mothers with a normal pregravid BMI.


METHODS
Retrospective observational study of a large sample of triplet mothers with a normal (19.8-26) pregravid BMI. Adequate, average, and inadequate weight gains were defined as >680, 500-680, and <500 g/week. Outcome measures were the incidence of >or=1 SGA infant and total triplet birth weight <4500 g.


RESULTS
Of the 1166 triplet mothers, 208 (17.8%) gained >680 g/week during their pregnancy. This presumed adequate weight gain did not reduce the incidence of SGA triplets or that of total birth weight <4500 g, irrespective of parity. These adverse birth weight outcomes were 2 to 3.5 times lower among multiparous compared to nulliparous mothers.


CONCLUSIONS
Early weight gain of >680 g/week in triplet mothers with a normal pre-pregnancy BMI is not associated with a decrease in the incidence of adverse outcomes. Weight gain recommendations in triplet pregnancies should be realistic and associated with a low risk-benefit ratio.
Flidel-Rimon
Orna
O
Department of Neonatology, Kaplan Medical Center, Rehovot, Israel. Orna_f@clalit.org.il
Rhea
Debbie J
DJ
Shinwell
Eric S
ES
Keith
Louis G
LG
Blickstein
Isaac
I
D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D011272:Pregnancy, Multiple / Q000502:physiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014310:Triplets / Q000502:physiology; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000502:physiology*