Medical team members make ward rounds for Dili. Photo: Screenshot from Hubei Daily's official WeChat account

In the early hours of Thursday morning, inside the delivery suite at Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, a young mother finally allowed herself to breathe.

"The stone in my heart has finally fallen," said 24-year-old Dili, from Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, as a senior obstetrician from the hospital made her post-surgery ward rounds. Just hours earlier, after a relay effort by more than 20 medical staff, Dili had delivered five babies — one boy and four girls — in a rare quintuplet birth. Mother and children were safe, Hubei Daily reported on Thursday. 

For Li Jiafu, director and chief physician of obstetrics at the hospital with nearly four decades of experience, this was the largest multiple pregnancy he had ever delivered.

Medical data shows that the probability of naturally conceived quintuplets worldwide is about one in 60 million — a statistical rarity often described as a miracle of life, per Hubei Daily. 

Dili had been diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), a condition that makes pregnancy difficult and increases the risk of miscarriage. After treatment at a local hospital in Xinjiang, she conceived naturally last August. But routine prenatal examinations soon revealed that she was carrying multiple fetuses — a pregnancy classified as high risk, with significantly increased chances of complications for both mother and babies.

"After I went home, I searched online about multiple pregnancies," Dili recalled. "I learned that cases like mine could easily lead to massive bleeding and other emergencies. The more I read, the more anxious I became." During that time, she said, she could hardly eat or sleep, determined to find experienced doctors and a capable hospital.

Through the recommendation of a mother of quadruplets she met online, Dili contacted doctor Li for an online consultation. Accompanied by her husband, she traveled to Wuhan at the end of last year to meet with doctor Li and his team. 

The medical team promptly carried out comprehensive prenatal assessments. Results showed that the fetuses were developing well. Dili's overall condition was stable, with no underlying diseases or pregnancy-related complications. 

The hospital assembled a multidisciplinary team — including specialists from obstetrics, neonatology, anesthesiology, the operating department, prenatal diagnosis, and ultrasound medicine — forming what they described as a "guardian group." Even after Dili returned to her home in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the team continued to provide real-time online consultation and pregnancy monitoring.

Ahead of the 2026 Spring Festival, and as her due date approached, Dili returned to Wuhan. After thorough examinations, doctor Li convened the multidisciplinary team to finalize a detailed emergency plan and conduct surgical rehearsals.

Shortly before midnight on Wednesday, at 28 weeks and six days of gestation, Dili showed signs of premature rupture of membranes (PROM). The hospital immediately activated its emergency cesarean section protocol. Within 15 minutes, more than 20 medical personnel from obstetrics, neonatology, anesthesiology, and the operating department were in position.

At around 2 am Thursday, the surgery began.

Dili safely delivered five babies — one boy and four girls — weighing between 870 grams and 1,030 grams.

As the deliveries proceeded, the neonatal team worked alongside the surgeons, assessing and examining each newborn before placing them into pre-warmed infant incubators. Dedicated staff escorted the babies to the neonatal intensive care unit.

"Fortunately, all five babies scored (Apgar) above six," said another senior pediatrician Yang Pu from the hospital. "That is very rare among extremely preterm, extremely low-birth-weight infants. Their vital signs are relatively stable." Yang added that the premature babies would still need to overcome multiple challenges, including respiratory support, infection prevention, and nutritional management. The hospital will closely monitor their growth and development.

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) website, the Apgar score is a standardized assessment of a neonate's status immediately after birth and the response to resuscitation efforts. The score is recorded at 1 minute and 5 minutes after delivery in all infants, with expanded recording at 5-minute intervals for infants who score ≤7 at 5 minutes and in those requiring resuscitation as a method for monitoring response; scores of 7 to 10 are considered reassuring. 

The relay-like operation lasted about an hour and concluded smoothly. Dili has returned to a general ward and is recovering well. The quintuplets remain under specialized care in the neonatal department, with stable vital signs.

The story sparked an outpouring of warm and emotional responses online, with many netizens leaving heartfelt comments. One wrote, "What a great mother and what amazing medical workers." Another described the birth as "a miracle among miracles," adding, "Congratulations to this great mother on receiving the best New Year gift. Wishing the five little blessings a healthy journey as they grow up." 

One netizen also noted that the 24-year-old mother was born 24 years ago, marking two full zodiac cycles, meaning she shares the same Year of the Horse sign as her newborns, and extended festive wishes, writing, "Happy birthday, little horses — full speed ahead."


Global Times