A mother in her 30s recently made headlines for delivering quintuplets naturally at Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital on the 20th of the month. The successful birth was overseen by a team of specialists including Professors Hong Soo-bin from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Yoon Young-ah and Shin Jeong-min from Pediatrics and Adolescence.
This marks the first recorded case in South Korea of quintuplets conceived without fertility treatments. The first baby, a boy, was born at 11:37 a.m., quickly followed by the other four newborns. The delivery included three boys and two girls, all of whom were immediately transferred to the neonatal intensive care unit for further care. The father, Mr. Kim, shared that he had only recently informed friends and family of the quintuplets due to the high level of anxiety surrounding the pregnancy. Professor Hong expressed gratitude for the collaboration between various departments, including anesthesiology and pediatrics, which ensured the safe delivery of the babies.
The mother, a resident of Dongducheon, Gyeonggi-do, was initially diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome when she sought medical advice to prepare for pregnancy. Despite the challenges, she successfully became pregnant. The couple, thrilled to be expecting, soon learned they were expecting quintuplets. Though the news was met with joy, there was also concern from both sides of the family. Determined to protect all five babies, the parents affectionately referred to them as the “Fangfang Rangers,” a nod to the five-member Power Rangers team.
As the pregnancy progressed, the mother began to experience complications, including electronic liver disease and pregnancy-induced hypertension, which made it impossible to continue carrying the babies to full term. At just 27 weeks, doctors decided a cesarean section was necessary. Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital carefully coordinated the delivery, with multiple departments preparing for the complex birth. Each newborn had their own medical team, complete with neonatal records, anklets, and incubators.
In recognition of the momentous occasion, South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol sent a congratulatory gift and letter to the family. The letter, delivered by You Hye-mi, the president’s senior secretary for low birth rate issues, expressed national pride and joy at the birth of the quintuplets. Yoon highlighted the rarity of such an event globally and wished the family a happy and prosperous future. The president’s gift included baby clothes in five different colors and seaweed, a traditional postpartum food in Korea.
The family will receive extensive government support, including financial assistance for medical expenses and household needs, along with additional scholarships and interest exemptions for tuition loans. The birth of the quintuplets comes at a time when South Korea is grappling with an ongoing demographic crisis. President Yoon has called the country’s declining birth rate a “national emergency,” as Korea’s total fertility rate hit an all-time low of 0.72 in 2023.
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