Identical triplets have come into the world in California, and doctors say they are a rare case.
The odds of identical triplets being conceived without the help of fertility drugs ranges from 1-in-1-million to 1-in-100-million, although it’s difficult to gauge accurately due to the extreme rarity of such an event.
“We are thinking of bottling the water in Quincy and offering it as a fertility treatment,” said new dad Tom Hepner.
The babies are girls and are doing well, although they vary a little in weight. Right now, they are recovering in the hospital until they can maintain their body temperature and mature their tiny lungs.
“It is not unusual with identical triplets to have a difference in weight,” said Dr. William Gilbert. “They usually don’t share equal amounts of the placenta, so therefore one gets a little less nutrition than the other. When you have a difference in weight, the little one does better after they are born because the stress of being little matures your lungs faster.”
Gilbert runs a program at Sutter Memorial Hospital–where the babies were born with much preparation–that helps parents of multiples. Raising even one child can be a daunting task for new parents, but when more of the same age are thrown into the mix, it can be overwhelming. Mom Hannah Hepner says she and her husband are looking forward to the challenge, however, and are ready to get their girls home.
“We understand that they are going to be individuals,” Hannah Hepner said. “We look forward to finding out who those individuals are and helping them along the way.”
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