Rare Identical Quadruplets Are Born

Canadian parents won the lottery this week. According to the Associated Press, a woman has a 1 in 13 million chance of conceiving identical quadruplets, although another source I read said the chance was 1 in 65 million. Whatever the true figure, the possibility of having identical quadruplets is extremely rare.

But Karen Jepp of Calgary, Alberta, beat the odds and delivered identical girls, Autumn, Brooke, Calissa and Dahlia. Amazingly, although they were premature and all weighed between 2.15 and 2.6 pounds, doctors say they are doing very well and breathing on their own. They were conceived without fertility drugs.

To our knowledge, there are less than 50 sets of identical quadruplets in the world, the most recent born to a 26-year-old woman in India in April 2006.

The Jepp quads will remain hospitalized for four to six weeks, and then will be heading home to their two-year-old brother, Simon. And, hopefully, to lots and lots of help for their parents!

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About Susan Heim

Susan M. Heim is an author and editor, specializing in multiples, parenting, women’s and Christian issues. Her books include "Boosting Your Baby's Brain Power"; "Chicken Soup for the Soul: Twins and More"; "It’s Twins! Parent-to-Parent Advice from Infancy Through Adolescence"; "Twice the Love: Stories of Inspiration for Families with Twins, Multiples and Singletons"; and, "Oh, Baby! 7 Ways a Baby Will Change Your Life the First Year." Upcoming books include "Chicken Soup for the Soul: All in the Family," "Chicken Soup for the Soul: Devotional Stories for Women," and "Moms of Multiples' Devotions to Go." Susan's articles and essays have appeared in many books, magazines and Web sites. She is a member of the National Association of Women Writers and the Southeastern Writers Association, and has a degree in Business Administration from Michigan State University. Susan lives with her husband and four sons (two teenagers and twin grade-schoolers) in Florida.


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