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