A 20-year-old Bangladeshi woman has given birth to twins, less than a month after her first child was born.
Arifa Sultana gave birth to her premature son in late February in Khulna district – home to the country’s third-largest city.
However, just 26 days later, she was rushed to another hospital after complaining of pains in her stomach, but had no idea she was still pregnant.
After doctors performed an ultrasound, they were shocked to discover she had two wombs, with two more babies still inside her.
The gynaecologist who carried out an emergency caesarean, Dr Sheila Poddar, told the BBC: “I have never observed something like this before.”
She claimed Ms Sultana and her husband were “very poor” and that the new mother had “never had an ultrasound before” – a possible explanation to why her two uteruses previously went unnoticed.
The twins, a boy and a girl, were safely delivered and discharged four days later, with all three siblings said to be doing well.
It is believed three eggs ovulated and were fertilised at the same time during the 20-year-old’s fertile period which resulted in three embryos.
Ms Sultana is said to be happy with the new additions to her family but was reportedly concerned as to how she would cope financially.
It is reported that her husband, who is a labourer and earns about £50 a month, said he would “try his best” to look after his expanding family.
He told the AFP news agency: “It was a miracle from Allah that all my children are healthy. I will try my best to keep them happy.”
