Research
Statistics
Quadruplet
Profile
Pregnancy:
The MOST Birth Survey contains 238 responses from quadruplet families.
Pregnancy was confirmed on average at 3.9 weeks (ranging 1-25 weeks)
Quadruplets were confirmed on average at 6.3 weeks (ranging 2-25 weeks)
Quadruplet mothers were referred to a high-risk specialist on average at 9.6 weeks (ranging 1-30 weeks)
The average gestation of a quadruplet pregnancy is 31.3 weeks (ranging 19 - 38 weeks)
The average weight gain for a quadruplet pregnancy is 51.8 lbs (ranging 0 - 110 lbs)
69.7% of quadruplet mothers in this study recevied steriod injections prior to delivery.
25.6% of quadruplet mothers in this survey had a cerclage performed.
Delivery:
Average
birth weight for quadruplets is 3lbs 5oz.
|
Average quadruplet birth weights (range) |
Weight Range |
NICU Stay
in days (range)
|
Hospital Stay
in days (range)
|
| Baby 1 |
3 lbs 6 oz |
7 oz - 6 lbs 6 oz |
28.4 (0-120 days) |
35.5 (0-120 days) |
| Baby 2 |
3 lbs 7 oz |
14 oz - 6 lbs 15 oz |
29.0 (0-135 days) |
35.6 (0-135 days) |
| Baby 3 |
3 lbs 4 oz |
10 oz - 6 lbs 2 oz |
30.7 (0-150 days) |
37.0 (0-150 days) |
| Baby 4 |
3 lbs 0 oz |
1 lb 1 oz - 5 lbs 7 oz |
36.6 (0-122 days) |
42.1 (0-122 days) |
Reason
for delivery in quadruplets:
42.4% delivered due to labor progressing
15.5% delivered due to maternal complications
14.3% were scheduled deliveries (c-section/induction)
12.6% delivered due to fetal complication
12.2% delivered due to ruptured membranes (PROM)
The remaining 3% delivered for the following reasons: preeclampsia, poor fetal growth, fetal distress, placental abruption, HELPP syndrome, pulmonary edema, uterine infection, umbilical cord flow problems, fetal demise, and other.
The
average gestation for a scheduled delivery was 34.3 wks.
The average gestation for deliveries due to preterm labor and other complications was 30.7 weeks.
| # of Older Siblings |
Average Gestation at Delivery |
| 0 |
30.9 weeks |
| 1 |
31.8 weeks |
| 2 |
32.9 weeks |
| 3 |
29.5 weeks |
Quadruplet Births by Month/Season
(Note: some surveys did not give a DOB) |
January |
19 |
24% born in Winter
30% born in Spring
18% born in Summer
28% born in Fall |
February |
15 |
March |
26 |
April |
20 |
May |
25 |
June |
17 |
July |
10 |
August |
17 |
September |
25 |
October |
22 |
November |
19 |
December |
22 |
Zygosity:
84%
of quadruplets were all fraternal
9.7% of quadruplets were a combination of identical and fraternal
5.9%
of quadruplets were of an unknown zygosity
0.4% of quadruplets were all identical
Gender:
46.83% of quadruplets were female
46.09% of quadruplets were male
7.08% gave no answer
Breastfeeding:
51% of all quadruplet mothers breastfed their babies for an average of 14.48 weeks.
39% of all quadruplet mothers pumped breast milk for their babies for an average of 12.9 weeks.
Quadruplet mothers either breastfed or provided breast milk for their babies for a total average of 13.4 weeks.
51% of quadruplet mothers indicated having difficulty breastfeeding or pumping.
Location:
The state with the largest population of quadruplets in this survey is New York representing 13.45% of all quadruplet surveys followed by New Jersey at 7.14%, Pennsylvania at 5.88%, Texas at 5.04%, and Illinios, California, and Ohio all tied at 4.62%.
(For an interesting profile on why New Jersey has a high number of quadruplet births, see National Geographic's 2005 Triplet Epidemic article.)
96.2% of the quadruplet respondents to this survey lived in the US
1.7% lived outside the US
2.1% did not indicate a location
The year with the most quadruplet births in this survey was 1996 with 32 quadruplets born. (See table below for more details.)
Year 19** |
Year 20** |
| Year |
88 |
89 |
90 |
91 |
92 |
93 |
94 |
95 |
96 |
97 |
98 |
99 |
00 |
01 |
02 |
03 |
04 |
05 |
06 |
| Count |
3 |
3 |
4 |
4 |
8 |
12 |
14 |
27 |
32 |
28 |
22 |
13 |
12 |
13 |
11 |
12 |
7 |
3 |
5 |
(Note: 3 quadruplet surveys did not give a date of birth and 4 quadruplet surveys indicated a date of birth prior to 1988.)
