Arifa Sultana, 20, gave birth to a premature baby boy in February 2019. But, just 26 days later, she was rushed again to another hospital after feeling pain in her stomach.
Doctors found she was still pregnant with twins in a second uterus! They performed an emergency C-section to deliver the babies.
Her twins were found to be healthy and were discharged with no complications, according to the BBC.
Sultana had a rare condition with a double uterus which makes it possible for her to conceive twins and a singleton at the same time. | Source: Pixabay
A miracle birth
Sultana, who is from a rural village in Bangladesh, delivered her first baby normally at the Khulna Medical College Hospital in Khulna district.
Just 26 days later, she complained of stomach pain and was rushed to the Ad-din Hospital in Jessore district.
“She didn’t realise she was still pregnant with the twins. Her water broke again 26 days after the first baby was born and she was rushed to us,” Dr Sheila Poddar, a gynaecologist who treated the woman said.
“When the patient came in we performed an ultrasound on her and found there were twin babies,”
“We were very shocked and surprised. I have never observed something like this before.”
Podder carried out an emergency c-section to deliver the twins – one boy and one girl. There were no complications at all during the birth.
She also added that Sultana and her husband are “very poor” and she had “never had an ultrasound before” until delivery.
Sultana and her newborns were discharged from the hospital after spending four days there.
“The babies and the mother are all healthy. I am very, very happy that everything went well,” Dr Poddar said.
How did this happen?
Having a double uterus is a rare condition that arises during development. The uterus starts out as two small tubes, which normally join to form one larger hollow cavity.
However, occasionally the tubes don’t join completely and each one develops into a separate structure. In some cases, this will result in a vagina with two separate openings.
Women who have a double uterus often have successful pregnancies, although the condition can increase the risk of miscarriage or premature birth because each uterus is smaller than average.
Women who conceive twins naturally usually have a history of twins in the family. Fraternal twins are conceived when the woman had multiple ovulation during her cycle. Identical twins happen when a single egg is released but the cell split into two.
Even without the aid of fertility drugs, fraternal and identical twins can be conceived naturally.
You can conceive twins naturally with these criterias. | Source: Pixabay
Here are some tips on how to conceive twins naturally
- Sex positions
Certain positions are believed to help conceive twins. The key lies in releasing the sperm as close to the cervix as possible. - Diet
Some research has shown that a diet rich in animal products like dairy has been five times more likely to help conceive twins. - Age
Women in their late 30s have more chances of having multiples because they tend to release multiple eggs upon ovulation as they get older. - Height
An interesting study, published in the Journal of Reproductive Medicine, claims that women who are taller are more likely to get pregnant with twins.
Even though these are some methods that you can try to conceive twins, having multiple ovulation is key. I know of some people who conceived twins naturally without any family history or changes they made to their lifestyle.
Don’t get too stressed up about conceiving as being in a happy, positive mindset is more important for your health.
Whether you’re bringing one or multiples babies into the world, the goal is to have a healthy pregnancy and birth.
SOURCE: BBC
Read also: 7 things that increase your chances of having twins