Mom-to-be conceives a third baby — while pregnant with twins in a rare case of superfetatio
A mom-to-be has conceived a third child — a little over a week after learning she was pregnant with twins.
It’s a rare case of superfetation, when a separate egg is fertilized by sperm in the womb days or weeks after a pregnancy has already occurred.
The TikTok star known only as @TheBlondeBunny1 — something of a Britney Spears lookalike who entertains her more than 235,000 followers with belly-baring bump updates — is 17 weeks along with her “triplets.”
In one viral video, which had 5.2 million views as of Tuesday morning, the growing mama explains what’s going on inside her belly.
“We knew it was two separate pregnancies,” she said to the camera. “When you ovulate, you ovulate for 24 hours. And sperm can live in your body for up to three to five days. So our first two babies are 10 and 11 days older than our third baby.”
Her doctors wanted to confirm it was in fact superfetation and not twin absorption or a malnourished baby, so she’s been receiving ultrasounds every two weeks.
“Sure enough, it’s been hitting every single milestone like it’s supposed to, growing at a healthy rate, just 10 to 11 days behind the first two babies we have,” she said.
In 2016, Self reported that superfetation is so rare that “there are only a handful of documented cases.” The next year, The Post told the story of a surrogate mother who thought she was carrying identical twin boys — when in fact superfetation had caused her to conceive her ownchild with her husband during the same cycle in which the intended parents’ embryo was transferred to her uterus.
“This happened to us because my hormones didn’t stop me from ovulating, I ovulated another time,” said @TheBlondeBunny1 in one TikTok clip. In another video, she explained that her mucus plug had yet to form, which allowed a second pregnancy to happen. She was not taking any fertility drugs at the time and does not have a bicornate uterus.
“We’re lucky enough that they’re close enough, they will all have the same due date, we just need to get the third baby past the 28-week mark, and hopefully carry them to 32, maybe even 35 [weeks],” she said.
In some cases, superfetation can occur months after the original pregnancy, according to multiple case studies.
Despite the surprise, the TikToker is excited to become a mom for the first time.
“We wanted to be parents, and God said, ‘Watch out what you ask for,’ and gave us three at once,” she said with a laugh. “Scared, excited, so many different emotions but I can’t wait for them to be here.”
via: https://nypost.com/2020/12/29/mom-to-be-conceives-a-third-baby-while-pregnant-with-twins/
Photo Credit: TheBlondeBunny1 / Tiktok