Ethiopian Woman Welcomes Rare Quintuplets After 12 Years Of Waiting For A Child

A 35-year-old Ethiopian woman, Bedriya Adem, has expressed overwhelming joy after giving birth to rare quintuplets following 12 years of trying to have a child.

Bedriya, who hails from Ethiopia’s Harari Regional State, delivered four boys and a girl at the Hiwot Fana Specialised Hospital. The hospital confirmed that both the mother and the babies are in good health.

Speaking about the emotional moment, Bedriya said she and her husband were deeply grateful to finally become parents after years of waiting and uncertainty.

“I cannot express my happiness in words,” she told the BBC, adding that she had spent years battling emotional pain and depression before her prayers were answered.

The newborns, named Naif, Ammar, Munzir, Nazira and Ansar, weighed between 1.3kg and 1.4kg at birth and are currently receiving medical care alongside their mother.

Medical Director of Hiwot Fana Specialised Hospital, Dr Mohammed Nur Abdulahi, explained that the babies were delivered through a Caesarean section on Tuesday evening. He noted that babies born above one kilogram generally have strong chances of survival and healthy development.

According to the doctor, Bedriya conceived naturally without the use of in vitro fertilisation (IVF), making the birth even more extraordinary. Experts estimate the natural occurrence of quintuplets at roughly one in 55 million pregnancies.

Dr Mohammed revealed that the mother had received regular prenatal care throughout her pregnancy and had initially been informed she was expecting four babies.

However, Bedriya said she was shocked to discover during delivery that there was a fifth baby.

“I prayed for just one child, and God gave me five,” she said.

Reflecting on the years before motherhood, Bedriya shared the emotional burden she carried while living in a community where she was constantly questioned about her inability to conceive.

She explained that although her husband already had a child from another marriage who lived with them, she still struggled privately with feelings of sadness and societal pressure.

“He used to tell me that having [the other child] was enough and that I should not worry, but deep inside I was suffering – psychologically and emotionally – as the entire village questioned my inability to give birth,” she said.

“What I endured in the past feels like a distant dream, one I do not even want to recall,” she added.

“I spent 12 years in pain, hiding myself, and praying constantly for children – at last, God heard me.”

Bedriya, a subsistence farmer, also admitted concerns about caring for her now larger family but said she remained hopeful.

“But I believe God will provide, through the support of my community and the government,” she said.