Discordancy in Triplets

Nathan Mordel; Abraham Benshushan; Gershom Zajicek; Neri Laufer; Joseph G. Schenker; Eliahu Sadovsky

doi:10.1055/s-2007-994724

American Journal of Perinatology, Inhaltsverzeichnis

Am J Perinatol 1993; 10(3): 224-225
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-994724

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Discordancy in Triplets

Nathan Mordel, Abraham Benshushan, Gershom Zajicek, Neri Laufer, Joseph G. Schenker, Eliahu Sadovsky

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hebrew University Hadassah Medical Center, and H.H. Humphrey Center for Experimental Medicine and Cancer Research, Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Discordancy in twins is generally described as a weight difference between the fetuses of 15 to 25% and its prevalence in normal twin gestations is estimated at 15 to 29%. The present study was performed in order to determine the frequency of discordant newborns in uncomplicated triplet gestations. One hundred and fourteen normal triplet newborns were delivered during a period of 11 years. Their birthweight ranged from 493 to 2533 gm, with a mean of 1894.2 ± 468.5 gm (± sd). In 58% of these 38 sets of triplets the difference in weight between the largest and smallest newborn was more than 15%. About a quarter of the newborns had a greater than 25% dissimilarity in their birthweights. There was no substantial fetal-fetal transfusion or difference in the Apgar scores between the discordant fetuses. It may be concluded that triplet newborns have a rate of discordancy double that of twins. Discordance per se does not necessarily mark an underlying complication of pregnancy or a bad perinatal outcome.

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