A 35-year-old Ethiopian woman has given birth to rare quintuplets after trying for a baby for 12 years.
Bedriya Adem delivered four boys and one girl via Caesarean section at Hiwot Fana Specialised Hospital in Harari Regional state. All five infants are in full health, weighing between 1.3 and 1.4 kilograms each.
Dr. Mohammed Nur Abdulahi, the hospital's medical director, confirmed the mother conceived naturally, without IVF. The odds of a natural quintuplet pregnancy are roughly one in 55 million.
Bedriya told the BBC she was initially told she was carrying four babies, but was surprised with a fifth at delivery. She described the past 12 years as a period of "depression and pain," saying her prayers were finally answered.
The newborns have been named Naif, Ammar, Munzir, Nazira, and Ansar.
Bedriya, a subsistence farmer, expressed gratitude but acknowledged concerns about providing for her enlarged family. She said she trusts her community and government for support.