Prime
Joy as woman gives birth to triplets after 3 miscarriages
Mr Asuman Kato holds his triplets as his wife, Ms Rinah Musimire, rests at Doctor’s Referral Hospital in Rubaare Town, Ntungamo District on Monday. PHOTO BY PEREZ RUMANZI.
Ntungamo- When Ms Rinah Musimire, 24, conceived for the fourth time, her husband, Mr Asuman Kato, 26, was pessimistic that she would carry the pregnancy to term.
The couple had previously lost three pregnancies and Musimire’s chances of a successful pregnancy were slim, according advice from medical experts.
The two are peasants from Kyabukuju Village, Mutojo ward, Rubaare Sub-county in Ntungamo District, and have been living together as husband and wife for five years, without a child due to miscarriages.
The couple prayed for a miracle and indeed God granted their wish.
On Monday morning, Ms Musimire delivered three bouncing babies - two girls and a boy, through caesarean section at Doctors’ Referral Hospital in Rubaare Town.
Sticking together
“Everyone was telling us that she will never sustain a pregnancy following the previous miscarriages. My family put me under immense pressure to marry another wife but I never listened,” Mr Kato, also a twin, told Daily Monitor at the hospital.
“When she conceived my triplets, we attended antenatal care together. We listened to the doctors’ advice.”
Ms Musimire’s first baby weighed 1.kg, the second, 1.4kg, while the third one weighed 2.4kg.
Dr Nicholas Karuhanga, who conducted the delivery, said both the mother and the children were delivered safely and are in good condition.
“I have been in service for the past six years but this is my first time to deliver triplets. She underwent blood transfusion to minimise risks of insufficient blood in her body. I have monitored the mother throughout her pregnancy and have been calling her husband all the time to ensure the safety of the mother; I hope we shall be successful all through,” he said.
The mother said while the scan had indicated she was pregnant with triplets, she never believed until they were delivered.
“I’m so excited because I never dreamt that my small tummy could hold three babies,” Ms Musimire said.
According to Mr Kato, his family has a history of twins, with one of his uncles having three sets, while his father and paternal aunt too, have a set of twins.
The risks of such pregnancies
Dr Karuhanga explains that the high order twins’ pregnancy (pregnancy with more than two babies) puts the mother’s life at high risk due to complications, including anaemia since the babies compete with the mother for blood.
Other complications include high blood pressure and heart failure or any other heart-related complications.
“The heart is normally overstretched and overloaded because it has to supply blood to four people, yet it is used to supplying to one. The pump, which is the heart, should be in good mechanical (good health) condition and the overload determines its durability. Mothers with high order twins tend to have heart complications even after delivery,” he says.
He further notes that pregnancy induced cardiomyopathy also increases risk of hypertension during pregnancy, delivery and post-delivery.
There is also high risk of post-delivery bleeding since the uterine muscles are over-stretched, making it hard to contract.
“The best way to deliver such mothers is through caesarean section to reduce pressure on the mother and reduce time between deliveries because the time spent predisposes mother to more risks,” Dr Karuhanga says.
The delivery of high order twins is the second time in the district this year after a nurse at Itojo Hospital delivered four babies in April.
Doctor’s Referral Hospital has delivered at least 150 sets of twins since its inception in 2015.
