A Brisbane woman has given birth to identical quadruplets – a rare “one in 15 million” occurrence – with doctors saying the pregnancy could be Australia’s first.
Jenitar Sau Na’amoana, 34, was raising four small children and had not planned another child with her husband Jortham when she naturally became pregnant with the four children.
Dr Alexa Bendall, fetal medicine specialist and obstetrician at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, looked after Sau Na’amoana throughout her pregnancy.
He said the mother of eight now handled the news well, taking “everything in her stride from day one”.
This includes identifying the dangerous situation of pregnancy of four children.
“Anytime you have a multiple pregnancy — which is usually twins, not quadruplets — where the babies share the placenta, there’s a higher risk of complications,” Bendall said.
“The children may have developmental delays … there may be a greater risk of death and disease for these children and for the mother.
“So the fact that we have four beautiful, healthy babies born at 28 weeks and four days is amazing, and we’re so happy to be away.”
A monozygotic quadruplet – four identical twins split from a single fertilized egg – is one of the rarest forms of pregnancy in the world.
Adding to Sau Na’amoana’s incredible potential was the fact that her four children shared the same womb.
“This is unheard of,” Bendall said.
“So four sacs, one placenta – we think the figure is about one in 15 million for a case like this, conceived directly. We don’t think it’s ever happened in Australia.
“There may have been several cases elsewhere in the world, and when I say a couple, a couple; two. But this is the only case we know of in Australia.”
Sau Na’amoana has been cared for by a team of experts at RBWH since 10 weeks, and was admitted as an inpatient for 25 weeks for close monitoring.
The four girls – Emily, Harriet, Alexa and Catherine – were delivered by surgery on July 14. Alexa is called Bendall.
“I am very honored that they decided to name one of their girls after me,” he said.
The four children are currently doing “very well” and will remain in the hospital’s intensive care unit (NICU) to grow to full term.
“We always said we could get her to 28 weeks, we’d be doing well, so we’re happy she’s able to make it to this pregnancy,” Bendall said.
Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.
