A Brisbane couple who welcomed “miracle” identical quadruplets have been inundated with support across the country, including a leading millionaire entrepreneur.
Mum Jenitar and dad Jortham Na’amoana welcomed four identical baby girls, Emily, Harriet, Alexa and Catherine, at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital.
The identical quadruplets were naturally conceived and split into four from a single fertilised egg.
Already a mother of four, with children aged between 10 and one, the chances of naturally conceiving quadruplets is estimated to be around one in 15 million.
But all four babies arrived healthily via C-section on Tuesday, July 14 despite it being an extremely high-risk pregnancy.
Since the remarkable birth story, the family of 10 has been inundated with financial support.
Mrs Na’amoana and her father Karl Staisch launched an online fundraiser in late June ahead of the miracle birth with hopes of upgrading their van to accommodate the extra family members.
“Our four precious miracles have arrived safely, and while our hearts are overflowing with gratitude, the reality of caring for four newborns at once has brought challenges we never could have imagined,” the GoFundMe description read.
“We urgently need a larger van with at least 10 or 12 seats, essential baby equipment, and help with ongoing medical, travel, and everyday living expenses.”
The fundraiser has since raised more than $63,000 of its $70,000 goal.
One of the donations was made by Australian millionaire and entrepreneur Bevan Slattery, who dropped $10,000 for the family.
In a Facebook post, Mr Staisch said his daughter was a “strong” and resilient woman who was defying the odds with her pregnancy.
“As her father, I could not be prouder of the remarkable woman, devoted wife, and loving mother she has become,” he wrote on social media.
Obsetrician and maternal foetal medicine specialistAlexa Bendall, after whom one of the quadruplets was named, helped care for Mrs Na-‘amoana and her babies since early on in the pregnancy.
“Jenitar has taken everything in her stride from day one – we have never seen a spontaneously conceived pregnancy of this type with quads, and she has somehow dodged every complication and risk for both herself and her babies to be here today, with four gorgeous newborn girls,” Dr Bendall said.
“Monozygotic quadruplets are estimated at one in every 15 million pregnancies, but to share the same placenta, this is unheard of.”
They were born to 34-year-old Mrs Na-‘amoana at 28 weeks and four days via C-section.
“We always said that if we could get her to 28 weeks, we would be doing well, so we are happy she could make it to this gestation,” Dr Bendall added.
“The rare quadruplets will now spend time in our specialist neonatal intensive care unit where they will grow to full term and are currently doing well.”
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