Triplets are typically only ever born a few minutes apart.But this set of identical triplets, born at just 30 weeks, were delivered two days apart after their mother’s contractions suddenly stopped during labour.
You Li, 31, already has an 11-year-old daughter but her and her husband wanted a son, so decided to undergo IVF as her fallopian tubes were blocked. After she was successfully impregnated through IVF, the mother-of-one discovered she was carrying triplets when she was three months pregnant. Her contractions began on Christmas eve and her first baby was born at 1.50am on December 25 by natural delivery, weighing 3.2lb.
But then Ms You’s contractions suddenly stopped.After doctors checked the babies were fine, they decided to let them stay in Ms You’s womb so they could grow a little bit more. The second and third baby were then born through by Caesarean at 1.16am and 1.18am on December 18. Doctors decided to carry out the Caesarean after noticing one of the babies had an unstable heart rate. Fortunately, both babies were found to be healthy, weighing 2.8lbs and 2.5lbs.
Dr Gao Yan, from the Maternity and Child Health Hospital of Sichuan,said they decided to leave the two babies in the womb as they were only 30 weeks and premature.The doctor told Chengdu Business Daily: ‘As the mother and the babies’ condition were stable, the babies should stay inside the womb to grow a little bit more.