Tygerberg Hospital welcomed four new little Capetonians on Friday, July 6 – when a 22-year-old, first-time mom, gave birth to quadruplets.
The joyful new mom gave birth to two girls and two boys and each baby had their very own paediatrician in the theatre to make sure all was well, said Tygerberg Hospital spokesperson Latricia Piennar.
Piennar said both the mother and each of her quadruplets were, “in very good condition and doing extremely well”.
“A caesarean section (c-section) was performed at 29 weeks gestational age – a decision taken in the best interest of the mother and the unborn children,” explained Pienaar.
The team that assisted in delivering these happy health bundles included an anaesthesiologist, a midwife and obstetrics and gynecological specialists.
“We are extremely proud of our maternal team at Tygerberg Hospital who ensured that this exceptional case is cared for in the most professional manner,” she said.
Quadruplet pregnancies are often more challenging than others. Most multiple births that occur world-wide are made up of 90% twins with the remaining 10% being shared by triplets, quadruplets and others. A normal vaginal birth is not advisable when delivering quadruplets.
There are an estimated 3500 sets of quadruplets world-wide, it is also estimated that the parents of quadruplets will change roughly 30 000 diapers before their children are successfully potty trained. The odds of giving birth to quadruplets spontaneously and naturally are roughly 1 in 571,787.
Picture: Pixabay