Rare success at BMU as premature quintuplets return home healthy

In a rare medical success in Bangladesh, five premature and low-birth-weight babies born together were discharged healthy from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Bangladesh Medical University (BMU) on Thursday after receiving intensive medical care.

The babies  --  two girls and three boys  --  were handed over to their parents and relatives at a programme held at the university’s Shaheed Dr Milton Hall.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr FM Siddiqui described the incident as a major success for the university and praised the services and professionalism of doctors and nurses of the obstetrics and gynaecology, fetomaternal medicine and neonatology departments.

Among others present were Pro-Vice Chancellor (Research and Development) Professor Dr Md Mujibur Rahman, Treasurer Prof Dr Nahreen Akhtar, Chairman of the Neonatology Department Prof Dr Md Abdul Mannan and Chairman of the Fetomaternal Medicine Department Prof Dr Tabassum Parveen.

Prof Dr Md Abdul Mannan said the babies were born through Caesarean section on 5 April to a 30-year-old mother at 33 weeks of pregnancy.

He said the pregnancy had been considered highly risky from the beginning due to multiple gestation. Soon after birth, the babies were admitted to the NICU because of breathing difficulties and premature conditions.

The babies weighed 1,420 grams, 1,250 grams, 1,410 grams, 985 grams and 1,625 grams respectively at birth, with some of them categorised as extremely low-birth-weight newborns.

Doctors said the babies showed symptoms of respiratory distress, including rapid breathing, chest retraction and grunting.

Prof Dr Md Abdul Mannan said the treatment focused on early breastfeeding within one hour of birth, CPAP support, infection prevention through regular handwashing, Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) and planned early discharge.

All five babies were placed on CPAP support immediately after birth. Their breathing difficulties gradually improved within a few days through close monitoring, temperature control, gradual feeding increase and ensuring breast milk.

According to NICU sources, family members were also trained by doctors and nurses on infection prevention measures, particularly proper handwashing practices, which significantly reduced the risk of infection.

Doctors said Kangaroo Mother Care was introduced after the babies became stable. The skin-to-skin care method helped improve weight gain, temperature regulation and bonding between the mother and babies.

As part of the planned early discharge programme, the babies were transferred to a private hospital on 9 April for follow-up care.

At a 30-day follow-up, doctors found that all five babies were healthy and gaining weight steadily. Their weights had increased to 1,700 grams, 1,520 grams, 1,645 grams, 1,215 grams and 1,825 grams respectively.

Doctors said the case demonstrated that even in a resource-limited setting like Bangladesh, high-risk premature newborns can recover successfully if timely NICU care, breastfeeding, CPAP management, infection prevention and Kangaroo Mother Care are ensured.