Mercy Kanini, the Juja woman who made headlines after delivering five babies through normal delivery at Thika Level Five Hospital, has lost four of the infants at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH).
The premature babies had been transferred to KNH for specialised newborn care because of their extremely low birth weights.
“They needed more specialised care at Kenyatta National Hospital. Their weight was too low, and they required specialised neonatal intensive care,” a healthcare official said.
Kanini had delivered the quintuplets a day earlier, in a rare occurrence believed to be one of only five such cases recorded in Kenya.
The babies weighed between 630 and 800 grammes, placing them at high risk due to extreme prematurity.
Speaking after the delivery, Kanini said she gave birth to the first baby shortly after arriving at Thika Level Five Hospital. Nurses then began preparing her for a Caesarean section.
However, she said doctors later determined that she could deliver the remaining babies normally.
“After some time, I don’t know what happened, they said I could deliver normally. I was very happy when I learnt that I had delivered five babies,” she said.
Kanini said she was not afraid during the delivery and praised the medical team for the care she received.
“I was not afraid. The way I was attended to made me happy,” she said.
“My babies were placed in nurseries and attended to well,” she added.
The mother said the quintuplets were her third pregnancy. She has previously given birth to a boy and a girl.
Her husband, Evans Nyamhanga, described the birth as a miracle.
“I was expecting four babies, but God is a God of miracles. We have got five,” he said.
Nyamhanga appealed for financial support to help the family meet the costs associated with caring for the infants.
The family had also sought assistance from Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi and well-wishers. The governor had already provided an ambulance to support the family.
