Mercy Kanini, who recently delivered five babies through normal delivery at Thika Level Five Hospital, has lost four of the pre-term infants after they were transferred to Kenyatta National Hospital for specialised care.
Kanini had delivered the quintuplets at Thika Level Five Hospital in what was described as a rare medical occurrence in Kenya.
The babies, who were born prematurely, weighed between 630 grammes and 800 grammes and required specialised neonatal intensive care because of their extremely low birth weights.
They were transferred to Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) for advanced medical care, where four of the infants later died.
The development has cast a sombre mood over what had initially been a joyous occasion for Kanini and her family following the birth of the five babies.
The birth was described as a rare achievement, with reports indicating that only a handful of similar cases have been recorded in Kenya.
Speaking at the hospital after the delivery, Kanini said she gave birth to the first baby shortly after arriving at the facility.
She was then prepared for a Caesarean section to deliver the remaining babies.
However, after further examination, doctors and nurses informed her that she could deliver the remaining babies through normal delivery.
“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,” she said.
Kanini said she was pleased with the care she received from the medical team during the delivery.
“I was not afraid, the way I have been attended to has made me happy,” she said, thanking the doctors, nurses and Kiambu County leadership for the quality of healthcare.
“My babies were put in nurseries and attended to well,” she said.
Quintuplets are commonly born prematurely and can have very low birth weights, increasing the need for specialised neonatal care.
In Kanini’s case, the babies weighed between 630 grammes and 800 grammes.
Their low birth weights meant they required specialised care in a neonatal intensive care unit.
The infants were therefore transferred to Kenyatta National Hospital, where they received further specialised treatment.
Four of the babies later died while receiving care at the referral facility.
Kanini’s husband, Evans Nyamhanga, described the birth of the five babies as a miracle, although the subsequent deaths have made the experience painful for the family.
“I was expecting four babies but God has been a God of miracles, we have got five,” Nyamhanga said.
He described the situation as bittersweet, particularly because of the financial demands associated with caring for premature babies.
Nyamhanga appealed for assistance from Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi and other well-wishers.
“I wish to appeal to Governor Wamatangi to stand with me although he has already provided me with an ambulance, and to anyone else willing to stand with me I will be thankful,” he said.
Kanini said the quintuplet birth was her third pregnancy.
She had previously given birth to a boy and a daughter.
She did not disclose whether she conceived the quintuplets naturally or through fertility treatment.
Natural conception of quintuplets without fertility treatment is extremely rare, with estimates putting the occurrence at about one in 55 million pregnancies.
Fertility treatments, including in vitro fertilisation (IVF), can increase the likelihood of multiple pregnancies, particularly when more than one embryo is transferred.
A similar case was reported in Ethiopia in May 2026, when 35-year-old Bedriya Adem gave birth to five babies at Hiwot Fana Specialised Hospital in Harari Regional State.
Adem delivered four boys and a girl after 12 years of trying to conceive. All five babies were reported to be in good health at the time.
Hospital medical director Dr Mohammed Nur Abdulahi told the BBC that Adem had conceived naturally without IVF.
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