All the five babies born at Nakuru Level Five Hospital on Wednesday are dead.
All the five babies who were born prematurely were admitted at the incubation unit of Margaret Kenyatta Mother and Baby wing at the Rift Valley Provincial General Hospital.
The hospital’s Medical Superintendent, Dr Aisha Maina said the four girls and one boy weighed between 500 grams and 650 grams.
She said the mother, 25-year-old Margaret Wangui was in a stable condition and would be discharged once the infants attained the right body weight.
Wairimu was received at the facility on January 27 for a checkup during which it was established she was at risk.
“She was immediately admitted and specialists placed her under observation until January 31 when she progressed to labour. She underwent an emergency cesarean section,” said Dr Aisha.
She added that the decision was informed by the presentation of the babies which placed the life of the mother on the line who was on 25th week of her pregnancy.
“She successfully delivered quintuplets. Of the five babies delivered, four were girls and one was a boy. The babies were of very low birth weight and had immature organs,” she said.
She said that all the babies were placed under a specialised newborn unit in stable condition and that the mother was in a jovial mood but not in a position to speak to press.
Simon Ndung’u, the father of the children who works as a matatu driver at 2NK Sacco said he received the news while on a trip to ferry passengers to Nairobi.
“The news shocked me but at the same time I became happy for this unusual occurrence. I believe there is a reason for its rarity it had to happen to my wife and I,” said Ndung’u.
The 28-year-old man from Bahati, Nakuru explained that they were planning for their second child and the earlier revelation from her routine checkups that she was to deliver triplets came as a surprise to them.
“We have another daughter who is four years old. This was her second pregnancy and God through his blessings brought five of them at a go in our lives and we appreciate it,” said Ndung’u.