The association between maternal factors and perinatal outcomes in triplet pregnancies.

Abstract

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