Alexandra Kinova and her partner Antonin Kroscen always dreamt of having a big family someday. They just never realized it was going to happen so soon. They assumed they’d have time to prepare their home and lives for their kids before they were expecting to expand their family. But then, Alexandra got pregnant with twins, or so she thought, before an ultrasound revealed the shocking truth.
Every day, Alexandra just seemed to be getting bigger and bigger, and before she knew it, she no longer expected that she was expecting twins. And when she went in for another ultrasound, her doctor revealed some news that changed her entire life, and ultimately became the news of the year in her country.
She Thought She Had It All Figured Out
She assumed that her second pregnancy would be a breeze since she had already had a trial run with her first baby. But when she went to the doctor, she got some information she never could have expected, and even her doctor was shocked by the results of the ultrasound, which included something that was more than a one in a million chance, and had never been seen in the country before.
She Wasn’t Just Having One
Kinova thought she was having one child, but it turns out that she was having twins. Although women have been having twins for centuries, this birth was about to make history, but no one knew it at the time... not even the doctors. Both Kinova and her partner's family had a history of twins in their genetic makeup, so this news didn't come as a huge surprise, but the next revelation would.
They Had No Idea What Was Happening
Had she been abducted by aliens and taken aboard the mothership? Was she pregnant with alien babies? Was her partner not the father? Was this going to turn into a Maury moment? As soon as her doctor's face scrunched up in bemusement, Kinova was immediately worried with all of the possibilities of her pregnancy. She had no idea, but an ultrasound offered some insight, or did it?
She Was Just 23 Years Old
At just 23 years old, Alexandra Kinova thought that she knew where her life was heading. She had a loving boyfriend named Antonin who she loved dearly, along with one child who was her whole world. But, she already knew that she wanted a bigger family, and her partner did too. So, they worked to ensure that they could support more children should they ever have more.
She Wanted to Be a Good Mother
As a young adult, Alexandra already knew that her family was the most important thing to her. Her role model was her mother, who she was very close with and she wanted to follow in her footsteps and become the best mother that she could be. And one day, she found out that she was expecting a child again, and she couldn't be happier.
They Already Had One Child
When Alexandra found out that she was expecting another child, she felt joy deep within her heart. She knew that her partner would be happy as well, but she also knew that the next few months would be stressful while preparing their home and routines to have a newborn baby in the house. But she never could have imagined at that time just how stressful the next few months would be.
Her Family Was Proud of Her
Alexandra's family knew that she was going to take good care of her next child, because she was already such a great mama to her young son. And the mother-to-be considered the waiting period to be a very exciting time, when she could consider baby names, shop for little shoes and make her house accessible for the new children in her life.
They Were Excited to Be Pregnant
When a couple learns that they’re expecting a baby, it can be a very exciting time. So, when Alexandra Kinova and her partner Antonin Kroscen from the Czech Republic discovered they were having a baby, they were very excited. But they had no idea what life had in store for them, even after learning that they would be expecting more than one child.
Parenthood Didn’t Scare Her
She was 23 years old at the time but she wasn’t scared at all. She already had one child, so she knew exactly what to expect from the bundle of joy cooking in her proverbial oven. The birthing process may scare first-time mothers, but after having one child, the perpetual doctor's visits become an easy routine. But she had no idea what life had in store for her!
They Scheduled Another Check-Up
The initial ultrasound didn't offer much information other than the fact that they could confirm Kinova was pregnant. At the early stage in her pregnancy, her doctors were glad to see she was healthy and no one involved could expect what the next ultrasound would find.
The Doctors Were Surprised
Kinova's next check up brought more answers than the first. Obviously, Kinova's baby bump was growing very quickly in just a few months, which was common for mothers of twins. With just a few more weeks of time, her doctors were able to identify the heartbeat of her baby, and to everyone's joy, they found more than they bargained for...
Her Joy Was Multiplied by the Power of Two
When Kinova finally had her ultrasound, she discovered that she was carrying twins. She couldn’t believe her luck, and neither could Kroscen. They were going to be parents of three rather than two children, since Kinova already had a child. But their assumptions were a little premature.
They Started Planning for Twins
For months, the couple started planning for twins. They bought baby clothes and the furniture they would need to keep their babies nice and comfortable. But they were oblivious of what was coming and it was a doozy.
Her Partner Knew What To Expect
Although the couple was in their early 20's, they both knew what to expect from being parents, so they were surprised as the reactions of all of the people around them who were worried that they weren't prepared enough for their future children. They were confident after raising their son that they would be able to handle raising twins, but were they in totally over their heads?
She Was Beaming With Joy
Despite their nervousness, the couple knew that this was a time to be cherished. Everyone in their lives and even some total strangers were excited for the couple, who couldn't believe that everyone was making such a fuss over a totally normal pregnancy. It wasn't until Kinova's doctors told her about what they found on an ultrasound that they realized that their experience was anything but normal.
She Was Oblivious to the Truth
As the time passed between check-ups, Kinova never expected that her pregnancy was out of the ordinary or that it would soon become international news. Surely, having twins isn't something that strange, is it?
Something Still Seemed Off
As Kinova's pregnancy continued, she once again felt that something was wrong. So, she counted the days until her next doctor's appointment and assured herself that everything would be fine until then.
Her Next Check-Up Was Alarming
When her next doctor's appointment came around, her doctors looked at her medical records and back at Kinova and seemed baffled. What could they see about her that immediately tipped them off that something was wrong? Whatever it was, they knew they needed to get her another ultrasound and figure out what was going on.
Her Husband Didn't Know What to Expect
Her husband, who was by her side during her first pregnancy and who joined his wife to all of her doctors appointments couldn't guess what the doctors were expecting to find in this ultrasound. He also didn't suspect that he would soon have more on his plate than he could handle.
They Got Ready Ahead of Time
To prepare for all of the unexpected moments of parenthood, Kinova and her partner bought all of the necessary baby supplies way ahead of her due date. They outfitted their home with childproof locks, stocked their cabinets with diapers and baby formula, and they bought some heavy duty strollers for family outings. But did they have enough supplies and would they really be ready when it came time for Kinova to give birth?
She Was Sure Everything Would Be Okay
Even as her husband and doctors showed concern for Kinova, she didn't let her confidence waver. She knew that she had taken good care of herself since finding out that she was pregnant and she never missed a dose of her prenatal vitamins. Kinova was sure that her babies would be healthy, but the doctor's face told a different story...
The Doctors Weren't So Sure
As Kinova was taken to a hospital room for her appointment, she overheard doctors speaking in hushed tones around her and throwing concerned glances her way. What was so obvious to them that she couldn't see?
She Was Worried For Her Children
The glances that her doctors gave her as they lead her to her room was worrisome. Even Kinova started to worry about her health, as she hadn't before she stepped foot in her doctor's office. When she left the office that day, she too would understand why her doctors were so worried.
Everything They Believed Was a Lie
Kinova's ultrasound was a fairly routine procedure, as it is for any expectant mother. But, her doctors were concerned at just how much her stomach had grown in the few months that she was pregnant. That’s when doctors gave the couple some news that left them shaken to the core.
She Feared She Had Miscarried
When the doctors told her she wasn’t carrying twins, she assumed they meant that one of the babies had passed away in utero. Perhaps one of the twins absorbed the other twin, which tends to happen during multiple births. But that wasn’t the case either.
She Wanted Answers
If Kinova wasn't expecting twins, what was going on? Had she even been pregnant at all, or was she experiencing some strange tumor that had grown at a crazy rate. The answer was something that hadn't been seen in nearly 500 years.
She Was Scared for Her Health
Being left without answers made Kinova start to fear for her health, and more so for the health of her unborn babies. She had done everything right and watched what she ate since she learned that she was expecting. Even the thought of losing her babies brought her to tears.
The Doctors Were Shocked
At just one glance, her doctors knew that Kinova's pregnancy wasn't normal for a woman expecting twins. Her stomach had grown at a rate that wasn't normal for a woman even expecting triplets. The ultrasound they performed brought the doctors suspicions to light, but they still didn't have answers for the expectant mother.
The Ultrasound Brought Up More Questions than Answers
Was Kinova expecting triplets? Like anything in medicine, it was hard to tell for sure. Her ultrasound proved that she was at least expecting more babies than she initially was told, but they weren't sure just how many she could expect.
He Couldn't Get an Accurate Count
Because of the way that multiple babies are positioned in an expectant mother's womb, it is difficult to get an accurate count of how many heartbeats there are when a mother is expecting two or more babies. Of course, this information would be very important for any mother to know, but at this stage in Kinova's pregnancy, not even her doctors were sure of the specifics. Would Kinova have to find another doctor to give her more answers?
She Was No Longer Carrying Twins
For a moment, her heart sank when doctors told her she wasn’t having twins. Luckily, she was still pregnant. She just wasn’t having only two babies. And once she found out the real story, she simply couldn’t believe it.
She Didn’t Know How Many Babies Were Coming
The doctors told her she wasn’t carrying twins. But she wasn’t carrying triplets either. Kinova hadn’t undergone any kind of fertility treatment, so the likelihood of multiple births was impossible, and yet, all signs seem to suggest otherwise. But how many was she actually having?
She Wasn't Worried Yet
Even though the doctors around her were totally unsure just how many babies Kinova was having, she wasn't at all worried. As a mother to a healthy child, she knew the signs of something going wrong in a pregnancy and she hadn't felt any of them yet. Her symptoms so far had included just a few weeks of morning sickness, so she was confident that no matter how many babies she was going to have, they would all be completely healthy.
She Was About to Have a Full House
After making sure for themselves, the doctors broke the news that she was having quadruplets. Understandably, the couple was startled. They initially thought they’d only have two children. Suddenly they realized they were going to have five children in total, including the one they already had. And just when they thought they were through with surprises, another one popped up unexpectedly.
She Was Having Double the Babies She Expected
Most couples would be stressed to find out that they are expecting twins when they thought they would just be having one baby, so just imagine how difficult it would be to expect four babies when you thought it would be two! The couple took the news in stride, but the mother's nine months wasn't over yet, and there were still more surprises in store for her.
There Was Still One More Surprise
Kinova and Kroscen had rushed to the store and started buying for the two extra babies they hadn’t foreseen. But then she went in for another ultrasound, and it revealed something no one had seen coming.
She Still Had Another Ultrasound
As with any expecting mother, Kinova had another ultrasound before she was ready to give birth on her due date and this time, she didn't know what to expect. She couldn't imagine that she could be giving birth to any more than four babies, but at this point in her pregnancy, she knew that she was ready to hear anything.
This Time, She Was Prepared For Anything
Although expecting four children is stressful, Kinova knew that if she was told that she was expecting five or even six babies, she would figure out a way to make the best of the situation. With her partner and mother agreeing to help out, she knew that the small family could create a happy home for however many children would be born.
The Ultrasound Revealed Another
The couple already knew they were having four babies. But this time the ultrasound showed that there was a fifth baby in utero. Kinova was having quintuplets. But why hadn’t doctors detected it before?
Her Family Was More Worried Than Ever
After discovering the news that Kinova was expecting more than double the children that she thought that she was, her family was understandably worried about the situation. They not only wondered if the young couple was ready to house and care for the children, but they also wondered how the doctors let something as important as how many children the expectant mother was expecting slip by for so many months.
Her Mother Didn't Trust the Doctors
After finding out the news about the number of babies that her daughter was expecting, Kinova's mother was stunned. She wanted to make sure that her daughter was getting the right support from her doctors before she gave birth, and now she just wasn't sure if she could trust them to safely deliver all of the babies. And all of this stress had a huge effect of the last few months of Kinova's pregnancy.
She Was Stressed Out Before the Birth
Expectant mothers are usually in a pretty calm state right before they go into labor. After nine months of preparing for a baby, most expectant parents feel like they are ready to begin their new lives with their child in tow. But Kinova and her partner felt more stressed out than ever just before the birth of their children. How could they trust that they really were expecting five babies and how could they know that Kinova wouldn't actually give birth to more?
There Was Nothing Else That They Could Do For Her
Unfortunately, after the final doctor's visit, there was nothing else the couple could do but wait for Kinova's delivery date. The doctors did everything that they could to make the young mother comfortable before she was ready to give birth, and they scheduled a cesarian section to lower the chance of anything going wrong during the birthing process, which was set to begin any day now.
They Couldn’t See the Baby
Doctors didn’t know about the fifth baby right away because there were so many fetuses in Kinova’s belly. They were also constantly moving around in there so that made it difficult to get an accurate scan. But there was still something they couldn’t figure out. Was there a sixth baby?
She Wanted to Know the Genders
Kinova wasn’t expecting sextuplets but she still wanted to know the gender of the babies so she could figure out how many blue baby outfits versus pink outfits they had to buy. Unfortunately, with so many babies, doctors couldn’t make out the gender of the unborn fetuses yet. But would they find out before the birth?
The Babies Were Ready for Their Debut
The couple had to wait until the babies were born to figure out their genders. When Kinova went into labor, there were 40 people in the room to take care of her and the quintuplets. A lot could go wrong with so many babies. But was her life in danger, too?
Extra Doctors Were Called to the Operating Room
Doctors at her hospital had never experienced a multiple birth with so many babies, so extra hands were on deck to keep mother and children safe. A cameraman was even brought in to capture the incredible moment on tape. There was hardly any space in the operating room for Kinova's husband or parents to witness the birth.
Extra Nurses Were on Staff, Too
Each baby was looked after by two nurses as soon as they were born, to check their vitals and make sure they were healthy. It is a common occurrence during multiple births for one or more of the babies to experience health problems or not live long after the birth. It was vital that these nurses checked on each and every baby immediately.
All Were Born By C-Section
Because of the amount of babies, Kinova needed to deliver by C-section under the supervision of many doctors. This was the safest method of delivery to ensure that there weren't any unnecessary birth complications, and scheduling the C-section ahead of time was the safest way to ensure that both mother and all of her babies would be safe if anything should go wrong.
The Babies Were Happy and Healthy
After the confusion following the many ultrasounds during Kinova's pregnancy, everyone, including some of the doctors in the room, was unsure if they could be sure that Kinova was only expecting five babies. But once the birth process was done, the family was just happy that all of the babies were born without any complications, no matter how many of them there were.
All Five Were Accounted For
In the end, there were five babies in total, all of whom were born without much difficulty. They were immediately put into the care of the medical staff at the hospital, who did an expert job making sure that they had all of the care that they needed. But, as with any birth, there were a few unforeseen difficulties after Kinova was done giving birth.
The Smallest One Needed Extra Attention
Each of the babies needed attention, and extra support was given to the smallest of the children. After just a few days of recovery, Kinova and all five of her new babies left the hospital to start their life as a family together.
They Now Had Five New Family Members
According to the neonatal unit’s chief medical doctor, the births took place without any complications. The couple was so happy with their new family. But how many boys and girls did they end up having?
Grandma Lent a Helping Hand
Kinova's mother and her husband's mother not only assisted Kinova in carrying the babies out of the hospital, they also joined the new parents at their home for the next few weeks to help take care of their grandchildren. But, they also insisted on asking for government assistance for their grandchildren, because the births soon became national news...
Mother Was Overjoyed
Even with the international attention on her family, Kinova was just happy that her babies were healthy and safe. The chances that any mother could naturally conceive and give birth to quintuplets is about one in several million, which is why everyone was so stunned by these babies! But, would they be able to get the assistance they needed in raising the children?
Her Family Was Complete
Once Kinova brought her children back home, she could finally find out if she and her family were prepared to raise all of the kids. Even with her mom lending a hand, it was difficult enough to raise one newborn, let alone four more! But the attention given to the family by the media thankfully helped the growing family get some assistance from their government.
They Knew Their Genders and Their Names
Kinova and Kroscen were beyond happy with their new family. She gave birth to 4 boys which she named Deniel, Michael, Alex, and Martin. She also gave birth to a girl named Terezka. But she had no idea she had broken a record.
The Birth Made Local History
One of the obstetricians in the room that day was Alena Makarova. She did some research after Kinova gave birth and discovered that the family had made local history on the day the quintuplets were born. But what made these babies so special?
They Were the First of Their Kind
Makarova was interviewed by The Telegraph. The obstetrician stated that birth statistics in the Czech Republic had been recorded since 1949 and there was no mention of any quintuplets. So, was Kinova the first mom in this region to ever give birth to five children?
Quadruplets Are as Rare as Quintuplets
It turns out that in the Czech Republic, quintuplets are born only on an average of about once every 480 years. What makes this even more interesting is that the odds of conceiving quadruplets naturally is one in seven million. But what about quintuplets born around the world?
Most Multiple Births Are the Result of IVF
Quintuplets born around the world are usually the result of some type of fertility treatment like In Vitro Fertilization. But since Kinova conceived naturally, is it possible that the answer to this mysterious multiple birth lies in her family genes?
Multiple Births Are Normal in Their Family
According to Kinova and Kroscen, twins run naturally in both their families. Because of their combined family history, it’s not surprising that they gave birth to quintuplets. Caring for one child is tough enough. But five can be exhausting. Did they have enough help?
They Had a Few Helping Hands
People from all over the world offered the couple donations to help support their huge family. They also received plenty of help in taking care of the babies from family and friends. And now that the history-making family is complete, they can look forward to a happy future together.
Donations Were Raised to Ease Living Costs
When the story broke that Kinova's quints were born, people from all over the world offered their support in the form of donations to the couple. Because an event like this is seldom seen, there were hurdles that the couple had to go through to access the money that was being raised for them.
The Local Government Gave a Helping Hand
One thing that stopped the couple from getting access to outside donations was the fact that the government had already agreed to give the family some assistance. They provided the family with a nanny, but that was soon proven to not be enough help to care for the six young children in the house.
A Request for Aid Was Denied
Requests for more government assistance were denied, but only because the system had never dealt with a situation like Kinova's family before. The Czech Social Affairs Ministry released a statement that said, "Simply put, our system is not prepared for such multiple instances of 'good luck.'"
Nothing Will Tear Them Apart
Despite the hurdles that the new family has had to endure to take care of their miraculous children, Kinova is happy raising her children. With every birthday that passes, the family celebrates with five little cakes for each of the children and invite all of their friends over to share in the excitement.
More Than She Can Handle
At times, five babies seemed like too much to handle, but Kinova and her husband have proved that anything is possible. Medical advisors said that the babies have a 95% chance of growing up healthy, and every day they beat the odds.
The Quints Turn 5!
Even five years after the miraculous birth, Kinova hasn't lost her stamina as she has grown into motherhood. One thing that fuels her is the fact that her situation is so rare. The chance of naturally conceived quintuplets is one in 48 million pregnancies. Some 800 quintuplets live in the world, more than 130 of whom were conceived spontaneously.
A Happy Family
With years having passed since Alexandra first learned that she was expecting quintuplets, she never expected her children to fill her life with so much joy. But, one thing is for sure, she doesn't want to have any more kids!