title: Triplet pregnancies: perinatal outcome evolution.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the obstetric and perinatal outcomes evolution of triplet pregnancies.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective observational study was conducted in triplet pregnancies delivered over 16 years in a tertiary obstetric center with differentiated perinatal support. Evaluation of demographic factors, obstetric complications, gestational age at delivery, mode of delivery, birth weight and immediate newborn outcome were done over a 16 years period. A global characterization of the sample was performed considering the listed parameters. Variables were categorized in three groups according to year of occurrence: 1996-2000, 2001-2006, 2007-2011, and all parameters were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 33 triplets included, 72.7% resulted from induced pregnancies. All except one patient received prenatal corticosteroids and five received tocolytics. All women delivered prenatally and no significant differences were seen in the mean gestational age at delivery or birth weight towards time. There were three intrauterine fetal deaths. Neonatal immediate outcomes were not significantly different over the years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite remarkable progresses in perinatal and neonatal cares, no noticeable impact in triplet gestations' outcomes was seen, sustaining that triplets should be avoided due to their great risk of prematurity and neonatal morbidities, either by limiting the numbers of embryos transferred or by fetal reduction.
authors.affiliation: Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
authors.forename: Patrícia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.affiliation: Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
authors.forename: Ana Patrícia
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Domingues
authors.affiliation: aff2.
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Belo
authors.affiliation: Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
authors.forename: Etelvina
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fonseca
authors.affiliation: Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
authors.forename: Paulo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Moura
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D059286:Pregnancy, Triplet; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors