Ala. Couple Welcomes 'Incredibly Rare' Quadruplets — Including 2 Sets of Identical Twins!
"I had to convince Hannah it was a good idea to have a second child," father Michael Carmack says. "Imagine how she reacted when she found out we were having four"
An Alabama couple was hoping for a second child, but ended up with four more instead!
Michael and Hannah Carmack welcomed the "incredibly rare" set of quadruplets at the UAB Women and Infants Center in Birmingham on March 14, according to Today.
The pair of identical twins — girls Evelyn and Adeline, and boys David and Daniel — were born via Cesarean section at 27 weeks gestation, per the report.
"I had to convince Hannah it was a good idea to have a second child," Michael told the outlet. "Imagine how she reacted when she found out we were having four!"
The Carmacks discovered their surprise quadruplets at Hannah's first pregnancy scan, according to Today. Hannah, who is a veterinary technician, was able to identify two sacs on the screen.
"She was like, 'Twins?' But the ultrasound tech didn't respond," Michael told the outlet. "Then Hannah goes, 'Is it three?' Then the ultrasound tech put her hand on Hannah's knee and said, 'Sweetie, it's four.'"
Michael was overjoyed: "I started laughing," he said, later adding, "I always wanted a big family, but that wasn't Hannah's dream."
After an "emergency" meeting with their pastor, the Carmacks left the church feeling strong and united, per Today's report. "What I think Hannah came to realize is, 'This is not normal. We had been chosen for something by God," Michael said.
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The quadruplets are expected to remain in hospital care until June, the month of their technical due date, according to Today.
In the meantime, Michael and Hannah are renovating their home to make more room for the new additions, according to a GoFundMe campaign for the couple.
Hannah, while still holding down her job as a vet tech, makes time to visit and hold the babies frequently in order to create a maternal bond, per Today's report.
"My wife is a rock star," Michael told the outlet.
Related:Ashley Graham Says There Was 'No Way In Hell' She Could Continue Breastfeeding Her Twins (Exclusive)
The odds of conceiving spontaneous quadruplets fall between 1 in 512,000 to 1 in 677,000 according to the Journal of Family and Reproductive Health.
"The rate of triplets or higher is only 80 in 100,000 births," said Dr. Meghana Limaye, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at NYU Langone Health, per Today's report.
"To have two sets of identical twins, meaning that both embryos split after fertilization, makes it even more rare," Limaye added.
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