A 40-year-old mother of five, Mufiat Olateju, who delivered a set of quadruplets at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Abeokuta, Ogun State on Wednesday, has appealed to the state government and well-meaning individuals to support her family in caring for the newborn babies.
Olateju made the appeal while speaking with journalists at the hospital in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, on Thursday, a day after she delivered the four babies.
The mother explained that the birth of quadruplets came as a surprise to the family, as earlier medical scans did not reveal that she was carrying four babies.
She said, “I have given birth to five children before. Initially, when we had a scan, it did not show quadruplets, so we did not prepare for it. According to the first scan, we were expecting just one baby, but subsequent scans showed two.
“Please, I need the help of the government and good people because I do not know where to start. I am 40 years old, and I want the government to help take care of these four children.
Her husband, Oluwaseun Olateju, also appealed for assistance, noting that caring for the quadruplets alongside their other children would be extremely difficult without support.
Olateju said, “I am the husband of the woman who gave birth to five children here at FMC. I come from Atan in Ado-Odo6/Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State. Before now, we already had four children.
“I want the government to please come to my aid because I cannot do it alone. It is beyond my power. At one point, I even thought of running away, but I later changed my mind because I believe everything will be fine.”
The couple therefore appealed to the Ogun State Government and kind-hearted Nigerians to come to their assistance to help cater for the babies and ease the burden on the family.
A Consultant Gynecologist, Dr. Taofeek Ogunfunmilayo, who monitored the delivery noted that the babies were delivered at 32 weeks, noting that both the mother and the babies require assistance due to the challenges surrounding the unexpected multiple birth.
Speaking with journalists, Dr. Ogunfunmilayo explained that the woman was not registered at the hospital for antenatal care and was only referred to the facility while already in labour.
According to him, medical personnel initially believed the woman was carrying triplets, but during surgery, four babies were successfully delivered.
He noted that the mother is currently in stable condition and responding well after the delivery.
“The patient is what we call an unbooked patient. She did not register with us for antenatal care and was only referred to us when she was already in labour. Initially, we thought she was carrying three babies, but during surgery, we were able to deliver four.
“The mother is stable and there is nothing wrong with her. However, because the babies were delivered at 32 weeks, they are premature and have been admitted to the nursery unit where they are receiving specialised care,” Ogun funmilayo said.
He further disclosed that the quadruplets are being closely monitored by medical personnel, noting that while two of the babies are doing well, the other two require more attention due to their fragile condition.
