[Percentile Values for the Anthropometric Dimensions of Triplet Neonates - Analysis of German Perinatal Survey Data of 2007-2011 from all States of Germany].
OBJECTIVE
We aimed to develop national reference values for birth weight, length, head circumference, and weight for length for newborn triplets based on data from the German perinatal survey of 2007-2011.


METHODS
Perinatal survey data of 3,690 newborn triplets from all the states of Germany were kindly provided to us by the AQUA Institute in Göttingen, Germany. Data of 3,567 newborn triplets were included in the analyses. Sex-specific percentile values were calculated using cumulative frequencies. Percentile values at birth were computed for the 3rd, 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th, and 97th percentiles for 21-36 completed weeks of gestation.


CONCLUSIONS
We present the first German reference values (tables and curves) for the anthropometric dimensions of triplet neonates and compare selected birth weight and length percentiles of triplets (after 32 and 34 completed weeks of gestation) to those of singletons and twins. The differences in the 50th birth weight percentiles between singletons and triplets after 32 completed weeks of gestation were 180 g for girls and 210 g for boys; after 34 weeks of gestation the differences were 320 and 325 g, respectively. The differences between twins and triplets after 32 weeks of gestation were 100 g for girls and 120 g for boys; after 34 weeks of gestation they were 130 and 135 g, respectively. The data presented here enable the classification of newborn triplets according to somatic parameters making reference to German perinatal data.
Zentrum für Medizin und Gesellschaft, Universität Freiburg, Freiburg.
M
M
Voigt
Abteilung Neonatologie und Neonatologische Intensivmedizin, Klinikum Südstadt, Rostock.
D
D
Olbertz
Klinik für Allgemeine Kinder- und Jugendmedizin, Funktionsbereich Neonatologie/Intensivmedizin, Universitätsklinikum Freiburg, Freiburg.
R
R
Hentschel
Frauenklinik, Universitätsklinikum Freiburg, Freiburg.
M
M
Kunze
Abteilung Geburtshilfe, Agaplesion Klinikum Rotenburg, Rotenburg (Wümme).
H-P
HP
Hagenah
Max-Planck-Institut für Demografische Forschung, Arbeitsbereich Demografische Daten, Rostock.
R
R
Scholz
Zentrum für Medizin und Gesellschaft, Universität Freiburg, Freiburg.
U
U
Wittwer-Backofen
Deutsches Zentrum für Wachstum, Entwicklung und Gesundheitsförderung im Kindes- und Jugendalter, Berlin.
V
V
Hesse
Department of Medicine, Division of Preventive Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
S
S
Straube
D000886:Anthropometry / Q000379:methods*; D001724:Birth Weight; D001827:Body Height; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D005865:Gestational Age; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014310:Triplets / Q000145:classification* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*