A mum-of-four has given birth to identical quadruplets in Australia after an ‘extremely high risk’ pregnancy. Naturally conceived quadruplets are extremely rare and doctors estimate the odds at about one in 700,000
An Australian woman has given birth to rare, naturally-conceived identical quadruplets after already having had four children.
The four girls, who were delivered via caesarean section at 28 weeks and four days on July 14, were monozygotic quadruplets – where a single fertilised egg splits into four embryos. The pregnancy was described as “extremely high risk” by the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital.
The girls’ mother, 34-year-old Jenitar Na’amoana, and her husband Jortham, already had four children so were completely shocked with their new arrivals. Dr Alexa Bendall, who cared for the mum throughout the pregnancy, said identical quadruplets occur “at one in every 15 million pregnancies” and said “but to share the same placenta – this is unheard of”.
Bendall, who is a maternal foetal medicine specialist and obstetrician, said: “We always said that if we could get her to 28 weeks, we would be doing well. So the fact that we’ve got four beautiful, healthy babies born at 28 weeks and four days is incredible and we’re very happy to be a part of it.
“Jenitar has taken everything in her stride from day one… she has somehow dodged every complication and risk for both herself and her babies.”
The newborn girls were named Emily, Harriet, Catherine, and also Alexa, after Alexa Bendall, and they will continue to stay in the intensive care unit until they grow to full term.
The parents have four other children between one and 10 and the mum has now launched a fundraiser to help them buy a new van.
In a message alongside the fundraiser, Na’amoana wrote: “Our four precious miracles have arrived safely, and while our hearts are overflowing with gratitude, the reality of caring for four newborns at once has brought challenges we never could have imagined.”
Naturally conceived quadruplets are extremely rare. Doctors estimate the odds at about one in 700,000 births.
You can donate to the fundraiser here.
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