A woman from Juja, Kiambu County, has entered the history books after giving birth to quintuplets through normal delivery at Thika Level Five Hospital.

Mercy Kanini safely delivered all five babies at around 10 a.m. on Sunday, September 13. Medical data shows that conceiving quintuplets and carrying them to term is already a rare occurrence, natural conception without fertility treatment happens in only about 1 in 55 million pregnancies.

Delivering quintuplets vaginally, rather than through a Caesarean section, is rarer still, since doctors typically opt for a C-section to protect the health of both mother and babies.

According to Kanini, she was expecting four children, with the fifth coming as a surprise. She had mentally prepared herself for a C-section, but those plans changed the moment her first baby began to arrive.

“Walikuwa wanaprocess niende theatre, lakini sijui ni nini kilibadilika, wakasema naeza deliver normally,” she explained, looking visibly strong. (“They were preparing to take me to theatre, but I don’t know what changed — they said I could deliver normally.”)

This was not Kanini’s first birth; she has two other children from previous pregnancies. For her husband, Evans Nyamohanga, the moment is bittersweet.

“Hili jambo ni ngumu, tena ni furaha. Ningeomba Gavana wetu Wamatangi asimame na mimi,” Nyamohanga appealed. (“This is difficult, yet it’s also a joy. I would ask our Governor Wamatangi to stand with me.”)

Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi has praised the medical team at Thika Level Five Hospital for what he called a historic achievement, noting that the delivery has placed the hospital in the national spotlight. Some nurses reportedly spent close to 11 hours on their feet to ensure the babies were delivered safely.

Quintuplet births remain exceptionally rare in Kenya. Only five such cases have been recorded since 1997, including Kanini’s, and nearly all required Caesarean delivery.

The most recent quintuplet birth before Kanini’s took place in Loiyangalani, Marsabit County, and was delivered by C-section. The mother in that case lost three of the five babies shortly after birth.

For Kanini, and her husband Evans, they are hopeful that they will be able to raise their 7 children despite the normal economic challenges.

                                                                                                                             APERIT FM, HII NI YETU