Triplet
Profile
Pregnancy:
The
MOST Birth Survey contains 1504 responses from triplet families.
Pregnancy was confirmed on average at 4.1 weeks (ranging 1-35 weeks)
Triplets were confirmed on average at 7.2 weeks (ranging 1-35 weeks)
Triplet mothers were referred to a high-risk specialist on average at10.9 weeks (ranging 0-35 weeks)
The average
gestation of a triplet pregnancy is 33.1 weeks (ranging 16 - 39 weeks)
The
average weight gain for a triplet pregnancy is 50.2 lbs (ranging -30
- 175 lbs)
62% of triplet mothers in this study recevied steriod injections prior to delivery.
20% of triplet mothers in this survey had a cerclage performed.
Delivery:
Average
birth weight for triplets is 4lbs 1oz.
|
Average triplet birth weights |
Weight Range |
NICU Stay
in days (range)
|
Hospital Stay
in days (range)
|
| Baby 1 |
4 lbs 3 oz |
0 - 9 lbs 8 oz |
18.3 (0-336 days) |
22.2 (0-336 days) |
| Baby 2 |
4 lbs 2 oz |
0 - 7 lbs 6 oz |
18.5 (0-336 days) |
22.5 (0-336 days) |
| Baby 3 |
4 lbs 0 oz |
0 - 7 lbs 4 oz |
19.9 (0-336 days) |
23.6 (0-336 days) |
Reason
for delivery in triplets:
34.4% delivered due to labor progressing
21.4% were scheduled deliveries (c-section/induction)
13.4% delivered due to ruptured membranes (PROM)
14.1% delivered due to maternal
complications
8.8% delivered due to fetal complication
5.3% delivered due to preeclampsia (high blood pressure)
The remaining 2.6% delivered for the following reasons: poor fetal growth, fetal distress, placental abruption, eclampsia, HELPP syndrome, pulmonary edema, low or high amniotic fluid levels, uterine infection, complications of twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome, umbilical cord flow problems, fetal demise, kidney failure, and other.
The
average gestation for a scheduled delivery was 35.3 weeks.
The
average gestation due to preterm labor and other complications 32.4 weeks.
# of Older Siblings |
Average Gestation at Delivery |
0 |
32.8 weeks |
1 |
33.5 weeks |
2 |
33.9 weeks |
3 |
34.6 weeks |
4 |
35.3 weeks |
5 |
35.3 weeks |
6 |
33.5 weeks |
Triplet Births by Month/Season
(Note: some surveys did not give a DOB)
|
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|
25% born in Winter
24% born in Spring
25% born in Summer
26% born in Fall
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Zygosity:
80.7%
of triplets were all fraternal
2.9%
of triplets were all identical
11.6 %
of triplets were a combination of identical and fraternal
4.8%
of triplets were of an unknown zygosity
Gender:
49.51% of triplets were female
49.36% of triplets were male
1.13 % gave no answer
Breastfeeding:
52%
of all triplet mothers breastfed their babies
for an average of 14.4 weeks.
30% of all triplet mothers pumped breast milk for their babies for an average of 12.5 weeks.
Triplet mothers either breastfed or provided breast milk for their babies for a total average of 13.6 weeks.
48%
of triplet mothers indicated having difficulty breastfeeding or pumping.
Location:
The state with the largest population of triplets in this survey is New York representing 20.6% of all triplet surveys followed by New Jersey at 9.3%, Texas at 5.25%, Illinios at 5.05%, and California at 5%.
95.2% of the respondents to this survey lived in the US
1.6% lived outside the US
3.2% did not indicate a location
The year with the most triplet births in this survey was 1996 with 180 triplets. (See table below for more details.)
Year 19** |
Year 20** |
Year |
84 |
86 |
87 |
88 |
89 |
90 |
91 |
92 |
93 |
94 |
95 |
|
97 |
98 |
99 |
00 |
01 |
02 |
03 |
04 |
05 |
|
|
Count |
4 |
4 |
13 |
13 |
22 |
32 |
38 |
65 |
66 |
105 |
122 |
|
102 |
132 |
134 |
92 |
103 |
118 |
65 |
35 |
21 |
13 |
3 |
(Note: 18 triplet surveys did not give a date of birth and 6 triplet surveys indicated a date of birth prior to 1984.)
