WA’s first set of quadruplets in six years were delivered at King Edward Memorial Hospital on Tuesday, surprising their Kalgoorlie parents who already have a three-year-old son.
Belinda and Emmanuel Lotsu thought they were having triplets after a successful IVF journey last year.
But halfway through the pregnancy, were told there were actually four babies on the way.
“You could see the surprise on her face,” Emmanuel told 9 News Perth. “She was so surprised and stunned.”
The babies – three girls and a boy – were delivered via cesarean section on Tuesday at 32 weeks and three days, ranging in weight from 1.5 to 2 kilograms.
“She’s done absolutely amazing getting them to 33 weeks for four babies, growing at the rate that they did,” King Edward Memorial Hospital Nurse and Midwifery Coordinator Jourdin Ross said.
“They’re all doing exceptionally well. They were all born with really good weights.”
The pending birth of the babies, the first set of quads to be born in the state since 2020, triggered coordinated planning for emergency scenarios, neonatal care capacity and mother and baby safety.
“Beyond clinical care, the hospital wrapped comprehensive support around the family,” Ross said. “Ensuring compassion, dignity and continuity of care during an extraordinary and stressful experience.”
All four babies – Amy, Amana, Amon and Amber – are all being cared for in specialist neonatal services, which the hospital said reflected King Edward’s integration with newborn care pathways for fragile and premature babies.
Their records show there have been 14 sets of quads in WA with the last being born in 2020.
There have been two quintuplet births in WA – one in 1989 and one in 1999.
The state averages five triplet births a year.
Ross said care for the family involved many services working seamlessly together, including obstetrics, midwifery, anaesthetics, neonatology, nursing, theatre teams and support services often under significant time pressure and clinical complexity.
All four babies were born in four minutes.
The couple, originally from Ghana and now living in Kalgoorlie, will remain in the care of King Eddies staff for at least a month before going home.
With 9 News Perth.
