A Brisbane couple has found themselves with twice as many children to feed following a miraculous quadruple birth.
Mum Jenitar and dad Jortham Na-amoana welcomed four identical baby girls, Emily, Harriet, Alexa and Catherine, at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital.
Already a mother of four, with children aged between 10 and one, the chances of naturally conceiving quadruplets is estimated to be around one in 15 million.
But all four babies arrived healthily via C-section on Tuesday, July 14 despite it being an extremely high-risk pregnancy.
Dr Alexa Bendall, after whom one of the quadruplets was named, helped care for Mrs Na-amoana and her babies since early on in the pregnancy.
“Jenitar has taken everything in her stride from day one – we have never seen a spontaneously conceived pregnancy of this type with quads, and she has somehow dodged every complication and risk for both herself and her babies to be here today, with four gorgeous newborn girls,” Dr Bendall said.
“Monozygotic quadruplets are estimated at one in every 15 million pregnancies, but to share the same placenta, this is unheard of.”
The babies were naturally conceived, meaning that they were all born from the same egg, which split into four at the embryonic stage.
They were born to 34-year-old Mrs Na-amoana at 28 weeks and four days via C-section.
“We always said that if we could get her to 28 weeks, we would be doing well, so we are happy she could make it to this gestation,” Dr Bendall added.
“The rare quadruplets will now spend time in our specialist neonatal intensive care unit where they will grow to full term and are currently doing well.”
Meanwhile, the couple has set up a GoFundMe to help them with the daunting transition of going from a family of six to a family of 10.
“Our precious miracles have arrived safely, and while our hearts are overflowing with gratitude, the reality of caring for four newborn babies at once has brought challenges we never could have imagined,” Mrs Na-amoana wrote.
“We urgently need a larger van with at least 10 or 12 seats, essential baby equipment, and help of ongoing medical, travel and every day living expenses.”
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