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British Woman Gives Birth to Identical Triplets – the Event Considered a Miracle

by Gopalan on Apr 26 2008 7:31 PM

A British woman has given birth to identical triplets, and the event is considered a miracle. Mother and children are doing well.

It is thought the odds of naturally conceiving identical triplets could be as high as one in 200 million.

After being born seven weeks early, Olivia, Gabriella and Alessia, have gained weight and are thriving at home.

The blue-eyed girls were born by emergency caesarean in January after Carmella Testa, a midwife, developed high blood pressure.

It was three weeks before Testa, aged 23, from Peterborough and her fiancé Richard Rees were able to bring the children home because weighing between 3lb 4oz (1.47kg) and 3lb 10oz (1.64kg) they had to be cared for in incubators.

"I knew they would be identical because there was just one placenta, so they were from the same egg.

"I was very shocked. They weren’t planned. They were born on 9 January, two days after my birthday so they were a lovely present," said Testa.

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Both parents have a history of twins in their families but not triplets.

Her colleagues in Peterborough Maternity Unit gave her extra special treatment.

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"I’m quite small - only 5ft - so at the unit, they joked that out of all the midwives, it would have to be me that gave birth to triplets.

"Everyone was great there. My three close friends delivered each of the babies."

The girls have each now gained 7lbs (3.2kg) and are doing really well, although the couple admit life is now pretty hectic.

"It’s a miracle. I’m so overwhelmed when I see them. I can’t believe they are mine and that they are perfect," she said.

Identical triplets occur when one fertilised egg splits to create three separate embryos, reports BBC.

Non-identical triplets occur when three separate eggs are fertilised.

This is more common in women who have undergone fertility treatment.

Source-Medindia
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