A 20-year-old first-time mother from Oltorot, Loiyangalani Ward in Marsabit County, gave birth to quintuplets at Marsabit County Referral Hospital, marking a rare and poignant event.
The delivery took place on a Monday afternoon, with the mother delivering three boys and two girls prematurely at around six to seven months gestation. Each baby weighed between 840 and 1,000 grams.
Medical staff were surprised as an earlier ultrasound had only detected twins, making the birth of five babies unexpected.
Tragic Losses and Medical Response
Despite initial reports that all newborns and the mother were stable, three of the quintuplets later died due to complications related to extreme prematurity and low birth weight.
Following medical advice, the two surviving infants were airlifted to Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) in Nairobi for advanced neonatal care not available at the county hospital.
Both babies are currently in the neonatal intensive care unit at KNH, receiving close monitoring as they continue to fight for survival.
