A 52-year-old woman, Efrance Kobusingye has given birth to quintuplets after three decades of trying to conceive.
The three girls and two boys were delivered via cesarean section at Neo Care Clinic in Mbarara city, seven months into her pregnancy. Kobusingye a resident of Nyaruhanda in Kitagwenda district is married to 62-year-old retired teacher Clesensio Tunanukye.
She expressed her overwhelming joy and surprise at delivering five children after so many years of uncertainty. The quintuplets were born prematurely and were immediately transferred to the intensive care unit at Holy Innocents Hospital for specialized care.
“I had many checkups at various hospitals, but none could explain the challenges I was facing. I’m excited but also feel helpless, having spent so much money trying to conceive over the years,” she said.
Tunanukye noted that the quintuplets have brought immense joy to their marriage. The couple has been together since Kobusingye was 19 years old.
Dr Hillary Aheisibwe, a specialist at Neo Care Specialized Hospital & Fertility Center, explained that the couple had turned to the clinic for help in March, after decades of infertility struggles.
“We performed in vitro fertilization (IVF), where an egg was fertilized with sperm in a laboratory and later returned to her womb,” said Dr Aheisibwe.
The procedure was successful, but due to complications, the babies were delivered prematurely at seven months. While the quintuplets initially had breathing difficulties, Aheisibwe expressed relief that all five were born alive. A nurse at Holy Innocents Hospital, who requested anonymity, confirmed that the babies are now stable and showing signs of improvement.
Infertility remains a significant challenge in Uganda, affecting approximately 15 out of every 100 households, according to Aheisibwe. However, advances in fertility treatments like IVF are offering renewed hope for couples facing such difficulties.
The birth of the quintuplets has brought not only joy but also a sense of hope to many couples struggling with infertility in the region.