Woman delivered of five babies

A 42-year-old woman has given birth to five babies (quintuplets) at Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Lokoja, Kogi, after 18 years of barrenness.

Mrs Uchenna Okeigbo and her kids are in good condition, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Okeigbo, a native of Olokoro Amangbo Community, Umuahia South Local Government Area of Abia State, gave birth to three boys and two girls on Wednesday, April 17 through Caesarean Section.

She was full of praises to God for the rare gift of five babies at a go after waiting for 18 years.

”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.

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However, the first baby, who weighed 1.3kg was still inside the incubator as at the time this reporter visited the place.

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.

His words: “I thank my wife for retaining her respect for me these 18 years of childlessness without quarrelling with me.

“I am also grateful to her family for standing by us.”

He solicited assistance from government and members of the public to ensure adequate care for the five children.

Dr Grace Ogoke, consultant, obstetrician and gynaecologist at FMC, Lokoja, who handled the delivery of the quintuplets, said the couple approached FMC when they were seeking for the fruit of the womb with a lot of investigations.

“After going through all their investigations, I saw that they would need to be assisted, that spontaneous pregnancy medically speaking might not be achievable, and I advised them to be assisted.

“The procedure for the assisted reproductive technology through In-Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) was successful, and the doctor referred them back to her for management of the pregnancy.

“I feel very happy and I give glory to God for seeing us through because it was like all of us were pregnant during the pregnancy.

”This is my first time of taking delivery of quintuplets; the highest I had taken was three.

“It is a relief and achievement for all of us and I thank God for that,” Ogoke said.

The Chief Medical Director of the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja, Dr Olatunde Alabi, said that experienced gynaecologists and paediatricians were deployed to manage the woman from pregnancy to delivery.

Alabi said it was the first time quintuplets were delivered at the hospital, saying that the management of the pregnancy and successful delivery of the babies underscored the quality of staff at the hospital and their dedication to duty. The Chief Medical Director pleaded for more support for the centre from the government and corporate organisations, especially in the areas of equipment and funding.