Jenitar Na-amoana gave birth to identical quadruplets—Emily, Harriet, Alexa, and Catherine—at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital in Australia, in what doctors describe as an 'unheard of' medical event. The babies were naturally conceived and are monozygotic, meaning a single fertilised egg split into four embryos. They were delivered via caesarean section at 28 weeks and four days on 14 July.
One-in-15-Million Pregnancy
The chances of naturally conceiving quadruplets are estimated at around one in 15 million. Dr Alexa Bendall, a maternal foetal medicine specialist and obstetrician who cared for Mrs Na-amoana and after whom one of the babies is named, said: 'Jenitar has taken everything in her stride from day one – we have never seen a spontaneously conceived pregnancy of this type with quads, and she has somehow dodged every complication and risk for both herself and her babies to be here today, with four gorgeous newborn girls.' She added: 'Monozygotic quadruplets are estimated at one in every 15 million pregnancies, but to share the same placenta, this is unheard of.'
Hospital Care and Family Expansion
The hospital said Jenitar and her husband Jortham were taken by 'immense surprise' when told to expect quadruplets. Due to the high risk, Mrs Na-amoana was admitted as a patient at 25 weeks for monitoring. Dr Bendall noted: 'We always said that if we could get her to 28 weeks, we would be doing well, so we are happy she could make it to this gestation. The rare quadruplets will now spend time in our specialist neonatal intensive care unit where they will grow to full term and are currently doing well.' The couple already had four children aged between one and ten, doubling their offspring to eight.
GoFundMe for Additional Costs
The family has set up a GoFundMe page to help with the costs of raising four extra children. A message on the page reads: 'Hi, my name is Jenitar Na’amoana, and I’m a mum of eight beautiful children, including our naturally conceived identical quadruplet girls—one of the rarest births in the world. Our four precious miracles have arrived safely, and while our hearts are overflowing with gratitude, the reality of caring for four newborns at once has brought challenges we never could have imagined. We urgently need a larger van with at least 10 or 12 seats, essential baby equipment, and help with ongoing medical, travel, and everyday living expenses. If you’re able to support our family, no gift is too small—every donation will make a real difference. If you can’t donate, we would be so grateful for your prayers and for sharing our story with your family, friends, church, workplace, and community. Thank you for standing with our family during this incredible journey. Your kindness, generosity, and prayers mean more to us than words can ever express.'
