Chiang Mai University Delivers Rare Natural Quadruplets Successfully
Chiang Mai University’s Faculty of Medicine announced the successful birth of naturally conceived quadruplets, a rare event occurring in about one in 700,000 pregnancies. A team of roughly 30 doctors performed the cesarean section, and eight months later all four babies are healthy. The achievement highlights advanced perinatal care and coordination with regional hospitals.
The multidisciplinary team from Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital planned care from pregnancy through delivery and neonatal intensive care. Mother Nitikan Siniraksatrap, a 33‑year‑old Karen woman from Mae Sariang in Mae Hong Son Province, was referred at 23 weeks gestation after her local hospital suspected triplets. Detailed ultrasound revealed quadruplets sharing a single placenta but each in a separate amniotic sac, a high‑risk condition due to the possibility of preterm birth, twin‑to‑twin transfusion syndrome, abnormal fetal growth, and intrauterine fetal death. The team scheduled ultrasounds every one to two weeks; most quadruplet pregnancies deliver around 29‑30 weeks. Major challenges included monitoring for complications, extending gestation as long as possible, and managing the mother’s long travel distance, which required coordination with Mae Sariang Hospital. Maternal care involved prophylaxis for preeclampsia, screening for gestational diabetes, and nutritional consultation to ensure adequate intake for all four babies. The maternal‑fetal medicine specialists arranged the mother’s hospital visits and continued monitoring until delivery. After the cesarean section, the infants were cared for in the NICU, and both mother and babies have now passed the critical period safely.
