Karachi: In a heartbreaking turn following a rare and medically complex birth, two of the five babies born to a Baldia Town couple in Karachi died during treatment at a private hospital on Wednesday, doctors and family members confirmed.
Both deceased infants were boys, while the three surviving girls remain under critical care in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
The quintuplets—three girls and two boys—were delivered prematurely via emergency C-section at just 29 weeks of gestation, far earlier than the full-term benchmark of 37 to 40 weeks.
Weighing significantly below average and with severely underdeveloped lungs, the newborns were immediately placed on oxygen support following delivery.
Hospital officials had earlier termed the birth “extremely rare and high-risk,” cautioning that the first few weeks would be crucial. Unfortunately, despite intensive neonatal intervention, the two male infants could not survive the complications associated with extreme prematurity, including respiratory distress and infections.
“The babies were born extremely premature and with very low birth weight, which severely limits their chances of survival, even with advanced NICU support,” a senior neonatologist at the hospital told Vitals News. “We are doing everything possible to stabilize the remaining three.”
The father, Adnan Sheikh, who works as a driver for a private company, shared his sorrow and hope in the wake of the tragedy. “We were overjoyed yesterday, and today we are grieving. Still, I am praying with all my heart for the lives of my daughters,” he said, adding that his wife was in stable condition after surgery.
Doctors say premature babies born before 32 weeks face high risks of life-threatening complications, including brain hemorrhages, chronic lung disease, and long-term developmental challenges. The hospital’s NICU team remains focused on providing advanced life support and round-the-clock care to the surviving infants.
The birth of quintuplets is an extremely rare phenomenon, occurring in fewer than one in 55 million natural pregnancies. While such multiple births are often associated with fertility treatments, the family has not disclosed whether any assisted reproductive technology was used.
As the family copes with the loss of two newborns and holds out hope for the recovery of the remaining three, they have appealed for prayers from the public. “This is a test of faith for us,” said a relative. “We believe in miracles and are grateful for every heartbeat of the babies still fighting.”
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