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We analyzed the characteristics associated with the growth in height of Japanese triplets from birth to 12 years of age. The study included 376 mothers and their 1,128 triplet children, who were born between 1978 and 2006. Data were collected through a mailed questionnaire sent to the mothers asking for information recorded in medical records. For these births, data on triplets' length and height growth, gestational age, sex, parity, maternal age at delivery, and maternal height were obtained from records in the Maternal and Child Health Handbooks and records in the school which children receive health check-ups. The height deficit of the triplets compared to the general population of Japan remained between 2% and 5% until 12 years of age. Moreover, at 12 years of age, the differences of height between the general population and triplets were approximately -3.6 cm for male and -4.4 cm for female. Maternal height showed the strongest contribution to height of triplets from 6 to 12 years of age. In conclusion, triplets remain shorter than singletons until 12 years of age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analyzed whether motor development in early life is different between singletons and triplets in Japan. The motor development was reported by mothers by postal questionnaire for 1,121 triplet children and in regular health check-ups for 13,906 singleton children. Children who were suspected of having neurological abnormality or disability were excluded from the analysis. The ages of milestone achievements were significantly higher in triplets for each outcome compared to singletons. Further, after adjustment for gestational age, birthweight, and birth length, the differences were significant for maintaining head, sitting alone and standing holding on. In children with birthweight of 2 kg or more, the ages of milestone achievements were significantly higher in triplets for each outcome compared to singletons, except walking holding on. Moreover, after adjustment for the confounding factors, the differences were significant for sitting alone and walking independently. On the contrary, singletons attained motor development facilitating crawling, walking holding on, and walking independently slower than triplets among those children with birthweight of 2 kg or less after adjustment for gestational age. In conclusion, triplets are overall at higher risk for the delay of gross motor milestones as compared to singletons independently of birth-related factors. In contrast, among children with a birthweight of less than 2 kg, singletons showed slower motor development than triplets after adjusting for gestational age. There is an obvious need to apply developmental standards that consider at least both multiple birth status (singleton, twin or triplet) and birthweight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analyzed the characteristics of weight growth and present the weight growth charts from birth to 6 years of age in Japanese triplets. The study included 366 mothers and their 1098 triplet children, who were born between 1978 and 2006. Data were collected through a mailed questionnaire sent to the mothers asking for information recorded in medical records. For these births, data on triplets' weight growth, gestational age, sex, parity, and maternal age at delivery were obtained from records in the Maternal and Child Health Handbooks, which is provided by the authorities after a report of pregnancy. Birthweight proved to be the strongest contribution on weight of triplets from 1 to 6 years of age. In addition, gestational age was also a significant contributing factor to weight from birth to 6 years of age. Moreover, males had a higher weight from birth to 6 years of age than females. Compared to the 50th percentile of the growth standard for the general population of Japan, the weight deficit of the triplets was more than 40% at birth (male, -1.28 kg; female, -1.28 kg), decreased within the first 1 year of age, and fluctuated between 4% and 9% until 6 years of age (male, -1.82 kg; female, -1.78 kg). In conclusion, triplets have lower birth weight than singletons and in spite of the rapid catch-up growth during first year of life they are behind singletons even in mid-childhood. This study provides growth curves for use in triplets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]