A couple who had been trying for a baby for almost a decade are celebrating the birth of quadruplet girls following a pregnancy that made medical history.Doctors were stunned when four babies of the same sex developed after a single embryo was implanted in the pair’s first attempt at IVF.
And after nine years of longing to start a family, proud parents Christine and Justin Clark suddenly have a rather substantial one.
The babies had a combined weight of just over 10lb when they were born at the Jessop Hospital in Sheffield on March 25. Darcy weighed 2lb, followed by Caroline at 2lb 3oz, Elisha at 2lb 14oz and Alexis at 3lb.
Mr Clark, a lorry driver, said: ‘The girls are all doing well. Now we can’t wait to get them home.’He added that the couple were on the verge of giving up hope of a baby when they decided to try IVF.
Just one embryo was implanted – and Mrs Clark, 36, found out she was pregnant only three weeks later.
An initial scan suggested triplets, but a second revealed four babies. Mr Clark, 43, said: ‘It was very emotional. We were happy, but worried about the logistics.’
The pregnancy also proved difficult as Mrs Clark, a nurse, suffered from extreme morning sickness.
She was admitted to hospital at 24 weeks because she was breathless, but doctors kept her stable until 30 weeks before delivering the four babies by caesarean.
Experts believe the single embryo split into three before one of these split again, resulting in quadruplets.
Darcy was first born at 2.46pm weighing 2lbs, Caroline followed also at 2.46pm weighing 2lbs 3oz, Elisha was born at 2.47pm weighing 2lbs 14oz and the last was Alexis, born weighing 3lbs at 2.48pm.
The parents said three weeks after the single embryo was implanted, a pregnancy test confirmed Mrs Clark was pregnant.
The 36-year-old said: ‘When we found out we were having four babies, I just couldn’t believe it. I was speechless and to be honest, I didn’t believe it until I saw them for myself.’
