An Ethiopian woman has given birth to quintuplets after spending 12 years trying to conceive a child. Bedriya Adem, 35, delivered four boys and a girl via cesarean section on Tuesday, May 5, at Hiwot Fana Specialized Hospital in Ethiopia, according to the BBC.
Healthy newborns named
The five newborns, all reported to be in "full health" by the hospital, have been named Naif, Ammar, Munzir, Nazira and Ansar. Adem expressed her overwhelming joy, stating, "I cannot express my happiness in words." She added, "I prayed for just one child, and Allah gave me five."
Rare natural conception
The BBC noted that the chance of conceiving quintuplets naturally is approximately 1 in 55 million. Dr. Mohamed Nur Abdulahi, the hospital's medical director, confirmed that Adem had conceived naturally without the use of in vitro fertilization. He added that the new mother and her babies, who weigh between 2.8 and 3 pounds, are still receiving care at the hospital but have a high chance of survival.
Adem told the BBC that she had endured "12 years in pain" and constant prayer to have her own children. Her husband has a child from a previous marriage who lives with them. The first-time mother and her husband are described as "overjoyed" to be blessed with five children at once.
