Mercy Kanini, the Juja woman who made headlines after delivering five babies through normal delivery at Thika Level Five Hospital, has lost four of the pre-term infants at Kenyatta National Hospital, where they had been transferred for specialised care.
The babies were transferred to KNH because of their extremely low birth weights and need for specialised newborn care.
“They needed more special care at Kenyatta National Hospital. Their weight was too small. They needed specialised ICU for newborns,” a healthcare official said.
Kanini’s pregnancy had lasted six weeks, with the five babies weighing between 630 grams and 800 grams, placing them at high risk because of their extreme prematurity.
The development comes a day after Kanini successfully delivered the quintuplets through normal delivery at Thika Level Five Hospital, a rare occurrence and one of only five such cases recorded in Kenya’s history.
Speaking at the hospital after the delivery, Kanini said she delivered the first baby soon after arriving and nurses began preparing her for theatre for a Caesarean section.
However, she said the decision was later put off after she was examined and doctors determined she could deliver the remaining babies normally.
“After some time, I don’t know what happened, they said I could deliver normally. I was very happy on learning that I had delivered five babies,” she said.
Kanini said she was not afraid during the delivery and praised the doctors and nurses for the care she received. “I was not afraid, the way I have been attended to has made me happy,” she said.
“My babies were put in nurseries and attended to well,” she added.
Kanini revealed that this was her third pregnancy, having previously given birth to a boy and a daughter. Her husband, Evans Nyamhanga, had described the birth of the five babies as a miracle.
“I was expecting four babies but God has been a God of miracles, we have got five,” he said, while appealing for financial support to help the family cope with the demands of caring for the babies.
The family had also appealed to Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi and well-wishers for support, with the governor having already provided an ambulance.
