Australian woman welcomes '1 in 15 million' identical quadruplet girls

In an extremely rare and high risk pregnancy, an Australian woman has given birth to naturally conceived identical quadruplet daughters in Brisbane, described as a one in 15 million case.

Jenitar Na’amoana, 34, welcomed Emily, Harriet, Alexa and Catherine via caesarean last week on July 14 at Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital after 28 weeks and four days gestation.

The monozygotic quadruplets shared one placenta and split from the one fertilized egg.

Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital Maternal Foetal Medicine Specialist Alexa Bendall said this type of pregnancy likely has not occurred before in Australia.

“We think the figures are probably around one in 15 million for a case like this to be spontaneously conceived,” she said.

Jenitar and her husband Jortham already had four children and were not planning for another child when they found out they were expecting.

“All four babies were delivered in good condition and are doing well in the nursery,” Bendall said.

The quadruplets are currently being cared for in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital. — Reuters