Triplet reduction to twins provides no major benefit: Smaller babies and earlier deliveries seen. (Study of 94 Pregnancies).

NEW ORLEANS -- Multifetal pregnancy reduction of triplets to twins did not improve perinatal outcome in a study of 94 women.

"Although there is general consensus that multifetal pregnancy reduction is beneficial for gestations involving four or more fetuses, there is controversy as to whether the procedure improves pregnancy outcome in triplet gestations," Dr. Richard R. Viscarello said at the annual meeting of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine.

"The primary issue is whether triplets are better off being reduced or left alone. We found that they can do as well as triplets," he said. "This was a little bit of a surprise," he added.

With triplets reduced to twins, there was an increased risk for preterm labor and prolonged antepartum hospitalization.

Reduction also didn't help with weight gain: The fetal weight of the triplets reduced to twins was significantly less than that of the nonreduced twins, said Dr. Viscarello of Stamford, Conn.

The study included 54 nonreduced twin pregnancies, 19 twin pregnancies resulting from reduction, and 21 nonreduced triplet pregnancies.

The patients were managed prospectively according to a protocol that included activity modification, nutritional supplementation, transvaginal sonography, corticosteroid administration, and home uterine activity monitoring.