A woman in Ethiopia’s Harari Regional State, identified as Bedriya Adem, has given birth to rare quintuplets after spending 12 years trying to conceive, bringing joy to her family and community.
The 35-year-old delivered four boys and a girl through a Caesarean section at Hiwot Fana Specialised Hospital. According to hospital officials, both the mother and babies are in stable condition and receiving medical care.
Speaking in an interview with the BBC, Bedriya expressed overwhelming happiness after years of emotional pain and uncertainty.
“I cannot express my happiness in words,” she said, adding that she had spent years battling depression and emotional distress while praying for a child.
Dr. Mohammed Nur Abdulahi, the hospital’s medical director, disclosed that the babies weighed between 1.3 and 1.4 kilograms at birth and are responding well to medical care.
He explained that Bedriya conceived naturally without the use of in vitro fertilization (IVF), making the birth even more unusual, as spontaneous quintuplet pregnancies are considered extremely rare.
“There is a one in 55 million chance of naturally conceiving quintuplets,” the doctor said, noting that the mother received regular medical attention throughout the pregnancy.
According to Bedriya, doctors initially informed her she was expecting four babies, but a fifth child was discovered during delivery.
“I prayed for just one child, and Allah gave me five,” she said emotionally.
The first-time mother also revealed the emotional challenges she faced during her childless years, especially as people in her community questioned her inability to conceive.
“My husband used to tell me that having his child from a previous marriage was enough and that I should not worry, but deep inside I was suffering psychologically and emotionally,” she said.
“What I endured in the past now feels like a distant dream that I do not even want to remember.”
Despite the joy, Bedriya admitted she is uncertain about how she and her husband, who are subsistence farmers, will cater for the growing family.
“However, I believe Allah will provide through the support of my community and the government,” she added.
The babies have been named Naif, Ammar, Munzir, Nazira, and Ansar, whom the family described as their “five blessings.”