Seeing Double DOUBLE?

I don't Adam and Eve it!

--ryan


Quads Against the Odds
By Lucy LAING, Daily Mail

Halfway through her remarkable pregnancy, doctors had heartbreaking news for Karen Myles.

They told her there was very little chance that all four of the quadruplets she was carrying would survive.

In fact they were so sure the babies would not last the pregnancy, they offered to terminate one or more to give the others a better chance of survival.

As she gazes at four cherubic faces and listens to their lively chatter each day, Mrs Myles is more than thankful that she never even considered that offer.

She was adamant that all four deserved a fighting chance - and refused a selective termination despite the risks to herself and the babies.

Against all the odds, Imogen, Emily, Hope and Oliver were all born healthy - and at 18 months, are enjoying every mischievous moment at home in Bolney, West Sussex.

Mrs Myles, a midwife, and her husband Dominic, 36, director of a computer software company, already have a four-year-old son, Joseph.

They were keen for a brother or sister for him so Mrs Myles, who had developed gynaeological problems, took one course of the fertility drug Clomid.


Discovery

It was at 12 weeks pregnant, she discovered that the family was about to increase by four.

"The midwife told me she could see three babies on the scanner, and I was just trying to take this in, when she suddenly exclaimed, 'Hang on - there's another one in there'. I just went into complete shock - it was too much to take in. Being a midwife myself, I knew what risks there were in such a large multiple pregnancy, so it was terrifying."

At 18 weeks pregnant, Mrs Myles, 34, was referred to worldrenowned expert Professor Kypros Nicolaides at King's College Hospital in London.

There she was offered the chance to terminate one or more of her babies, to give the others a better chance of survival.

"I was adamant not to have it done. I wanted to give all my babies the same chance," she said.

Mrs Myles had a stitch put into her cervix at 21 weeks to keep her uterus intact and was scanned every fortnight.



The births

In November 2003, 32 weeks into her pregnancy, she started having contractions and was taken to East Surrey Hospital in Redhill, Surrey for an emergency caesarean.

The quadruplets were delivered within eight minutes. Imogen and Hope weighed 3lb 15oz, Emily 4lb 7oz and Oliver 4lb 1oz.

All were taken to intensive care, where Oliver was placed on a ventilator to help him breathe.

"It was so amazing to see them all lying side by side in their cots," Mrs Myles said. "I couldn't believe that I had wanted another baby to complete our family - and here I was with four new additions."

After two weeks in hospital the babies were allowed home.

Now, at 18 months, they are in robust health.

"They have had the odd cough and cold, but nothing serious. I can't believe they have done so well," their mother said. "They all have massive appetites and love lots of home cooking. They are up to the normal height and weight for their age - although Oliver is a little smaller than the girls.

"Our family is definitely complete now - we won't be trying for any more."

Adam Bailon, spokesman for the British Fertility Society and professor of reproductive medicine at Leeds General Infirmary, said Mrs Myles was 'incredibly lucky'.

"We just don't see quadruplet pregnancies any more as now only a maximum of two embryos are put back in IVF treatment," he said.

"We are worried if we see triplets now, or even twins, as multiple pregnancies are risky for both the mother and the babies.

"It is extremely unlikely that if a mother is pregnant with quads, that she will go on to have four healthy babies."

------------------------------------------------------------------------