Woman gives birth to quintuplets after 18-year wait
A 42-year-old woman has been delivered of five babies (quintuplets) at Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Lokoja, Kogi, after 18 years of barrenness.
The mother, Mrs. Uchenna Okeigbo and her kids according to reports are in good condition
Okeigbo, an indigene of Olokoro Amangbo Community, Umuahia South Local Government Area of Abia, gave birth to three boys and two girls on April 17 through a Caesarean Section.
Expressing gratitude to God for the rare gift of five babies, she said that her wait for 18 years did not end in vain.
“It is not easy to have five children at once,” Okeigbo said.
She showered praises on her husband for standing by her.
The quintuplets, three boys and two girls, weighed 1.3kg 1.6kg, 1.7kg, 1.8kg and 1.9kg, respectively.
However, the first baby, who weighed 1.3kg was still inside the incubator as at the time of NAN visit.
The father of the quintuplets, Mr James Okeigbo, 47, an employee of a private establishment, who was overwhelmed with joy, described the coming of the babies as the happiest moment of his life and his wife as well.
”I thank my wife for retaining her respect for me for these 18 years of childlessness without quarreling with me.
“I am also grateful to her family for standing by us,” Okeigbo said.
He, however, solicited for assistance from government and members of the public to ensure adequate care for the five children.
“As a good citizen of Nigeria, I am appealing to government to help us,” he said.
Dr. Grace Ogoke, Consultant, Obstetrician and Gynecologist at FMC, Lokoja, who handled the delivery of the quintuplets, said she was very happy and gave glory to God for the feat.
She said that she delivered the babies on Wednesday April 17, through a Caesarean Section (CS) at about, 11:45 pm, which coincidentally was her wedding anniversary day.
”They are three boys and two girls, and they weighed 1.3kg, 1.6kg, 1.7kg, 1.8kg and 1.9kg, respectively. The three boys came first and the one that first came out has the least weight of 1.3kg.
” The baby is put under observation inside an incubator because he weighs less than 1.5 kg but the baby is active,” Ogoke explained.
According to her, the couple approached the FMC when they were seeking for the fruit of the womb with lots of investigations.
