Ethiopian Woman Delivers Rare Quintuplets After 12 Years of Infertility

A woman in Ethiopia's Harari Regional state gave birth to rare quintuplets after 12 years of trying for a baby.

Bedriya Adem said she and her husband were "overjoyed" to be "blessed with five children at once." The 35-year-old delivered four boys and a girl, all in full health, at Hiwot Fana Specialised Hospital, according to the hospital.

"I cannot express my happiness in words," she told the BBC. She recalled how she felt filled with depression and pain until her prayers were answered.

Hospital medical director Dr. Mohammed Nur Abdulahi said the mother and babies remain under medical care. The newborns weighed between 1.3 and 1.4 kg (3 lb). He told the BBC that babies over one kilogram have a high chance of survival and healthy growth.

The doctor said Bedriya conceived naturally, without in vitro fertilisation, which the hospital does not offer. IVF can raise the odds of multiple births if more than one embryo is transferred.

The birth occurred by Caesarean section on Tuesday evening. "She received regular medical care during her pregnancy and was informed that she had conceived more than one baby," Mohammed said. "She had full and proper medical assistance throughout." He described her excitement.

Bedriya said doctors initially told her she was pregnant with four babies, but one more arrived at delivery. "I prayed for just one child, and Allah gave me five," she said of her long wait.

The first-time mother noted her husband has a child from another marriage who lives with them. "He used to tell me that having [the other child] was enough and that I should not worry," she said. "But deep inside I was suffering psychologically and emotionally as the entire village questioned my inability to give birth."

"What I endured in the past feels like a distant dream, one I do not even want to recall," she added. "I spent 12 years in pain, hiding myself, and praying constantly for children. At last, Allah heard me."

Bedriya, a subsistence farmer, said she is unsure how to provide for her enlarged family. "But I believe Allah will provide, through the support of my community and the government."