In brief
An Australian mother delivered identical quadruplets after an extremely high‑risk pregnancy. The babies arrived at 28 weeks via caesarean and are now healthy and in the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit. The rare event is estimated at one in 700,000 births, and doctors praised the parents' courage. The family has launched a fundraiser, raising over A$37,000 to support their growing household of ten children. This miraculous birth has drawn attention from both the public and medical community.
Four identical babies arrived at 28 weeks in Brisbane, a 1‑in‑700,000 event that has the city buzzing.
On 14 July, 34‑year‑old Jenitar Na’amoana and her husband Jortham saw their family expand unexpectedly when doctors at Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital revealed they were carrying identical quadruplets.
The babies, named Emily, Harriet, Catherine and Alexa—the last named after the chief obstetrician who cared for the mother—were delivered via caesarean at 28 weeks and four days. All four were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) where they are currently thriving.
Dr. Alexa Bendall, the pregnancy’s specialist, commented that identical quadruplets happen about one in 15 million pregnancies and even rarer when the twins share a placenta. She praised the mother’s resilience: “This is unheard‑of and we are very happy to be a part of it.”
The couple’s four older children range from one to ten years old, adding complexity when caring for four newborns. To support the family’s needs, the mother launched an online fundraiser, receiving more than A$37,000 (£19,261) to buy a 10‑seat van and other essentials.
The newborns’ journey underscores the remarkable medical care at the hospital and the community’s role in supporting families during rare pregnancies. For mothers and families awaiting or experiencing similar events, the story offers hope and a reminder of the extraordinary outcomes possible with modern medicine.
