When Guillermina her husband Fernando learned about her pregnancy, they were thrilled. But their excitement multiplied when an ultrasound revealed a bombshell: They were having not one, not two, not three, but five babies at once!
This is exceptional all in itself, as less than 10 sets of quintuplets are born each year in the United States. Each additional baby a pregnant mother carries increases the possibility of pregnancy complications, like gestational diabetes, placental abruption, and even death. Now, multiply that times five. But this mom and dad were so confident, that not even doctors could believe the level of grace and calmness they displayed, considering the bombshell pregnancy.
Guillermina’s doctor, Dr. Tracy Manuck, called the new mom extraordinary. Despite the fact she suffered from high blood pressure and severe pre-eclampsia, not once did the 32-year-old mother complain. She developed blue and purple bruising on her baby bump as a result of carrying so many babies. Doctors were also impressed with Fernando, who provided his wife with unwavering support throughout her entire pregnancy.
Guillermina carried the quintuplets until 31 1/2 weeks. That’s seven weeks shorter than most single-birth pregnancies and three weeks longer than most quintuplet mothers. Over Memorial Day weekend in 2013, Guillermina went into labor at the University of Utah Hospital in Salt Lake City. Though they’d never seen a case of quints before, a dedicated team of eight doctors, one anesthesiologist, and dozens of nurses worked incredibly hard to ensure Mom and all five of the tiny babies survived.
Because the quints spent extra time in the womb, their lungs were able to develop more than most other quintuplets. Three girls and two boys — Esmeralda, Fatima, Marissa, Fernando, and Jordan — were delivered without a hitch.
The video below shows the miraculous moment all five babies are delivered. Please SHARE this with your friends on Facebook!
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