Kenyan woman, 28, gives birth to five babies via natural delivery
A 28-YEAR-OLD woman from Juja in Kenya’s Kiambu County on Sunday, September 13, gave birth to five babies in a rare quintuplet delivery at Thika Level Five Hospital.
Mercy Kanini delivered four girls and a boy through normal delivery, in a case described by Kenyan authorities as one of only a handful of such deliveries recorded in the country’s history.
She said a scan done earlier showed that she carried four children and that the fifth child came as a surprise.
TV Yatu learns through Kenyan Media that Kanini said she arrived at the hospital after going into labour, with one of the babies already beginning to emerge.
Medical staff initially prepared to take her to theatre for a Caesarean section. However, after examining her, doctors determined that she could deliver the remaining babies naturally.
She eventually delivered all five babies without undergoing a C-section.
“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,” Kanini said.
The delivery was particularly significant because quintuplet pregnancies carry considerable risks and babies born in such pregnancies often require specialised neonatal care.
According to Kenyan media reports, Kanini’s pregnancy lasted about six months, with the babies born extremely prematurely and weighing between roughly 600 and 800 grammes.
Kanini said the five babies were her third pregnancy. She already has a boy and a girl.
Her husband, Evans Murirya Nyahanga, described the birth as a miracle and appealed for support to help the family meet the demands associated with caring for five newborns.
“I am happy to have been blessed with five children,” he said, appealing to the Kiambu County government and well-wishers to support the family.
Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi congratulated the couple and praised the medical team at Thika Level Five Hospital for safely delivering all five babies.
The unusual birth attracted widespread attention in Kenya because of the rarity of delivering five babies naturally.
The case also highlights the challenges surrounding extreme premature births, with newborns of such low birth weight generally requiring specialised neonatal monitoring and support, Kenyan media reports, indicate.
September 16, 2026.