No sooner had celebrations begun for the blessings of the birth of quintuplets, than tears approached a mother.
Mercy Kanini from Juja, Kiambu County had made headlines after delivering five babies through normal birth, but lost four of the infants hours later.
She gave birth at Thi Level Five Hospital without surgical intervention, a process considered extraordinary considering the number of babies involved.
Since the babies were born preterm, medical staff at Thika Level Five Hospital transferred all five newborns to Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi, where they could receive the intensive specialised care that premature infants require.
Regrettably, four of the five did not survive. One of the quintuplets remained alive following the deaths of the four siblings.
But What Complications Do Pre-term Babies Face?
The condition of the surviving infant was not immediately confirmed in available reports at the time of publication.
The loss of four newborns in the hours following a multiple birth underscores the severe risks associated with pre-term delivery, particularly in cases involving high-order multiples.
Pre-term babies are born before 37 weeks of gestation and often face underdeveloped organs, breathing difficulties and low birth weight, all of which require sustained medical support to address.
