07/09/2026
Imagine being told you might be expecting twins, then triplets—and finally learning there are four babies.
That became reality for a family in St. Petersburg, Russia, where four identical baby girls were born on April 2, 2026, at Perinatal Center No. 17. Doctors described the pregnancy as extraordinarily rare, with an estimated occurrence of roughly one in 15.5–17 million births.
What made the case so unusual was not simply having quadruplets. Doctors reported that all four girls developed from one fertilized egg. They shared a single placenta, but each baby developed inside her own amniotic sac—a pregnancy doctors call monochorionic, tetra-amniotic identical quadruplets. The hospital said no comparable case had previously been documented in Russian medical practice.
Because carrying four babies creates significant risks for both mother and children, specialists monitored the pregnancy closely and managed to continue it until 32 weeks. A team of 32 medical professionals was involved in the delivery and immediate care. The girls weighed between 1.36 and 1.64 kilograms—about 3 to 3.6 pounds—and measured 37 to 41 centimeters long.
Since they were premature, the sisters spent nearly two months receiving hospital care, progressing from intensive care to learning to breathe and feed independently. By June 1, all four were strong enough to go home. Their names were reported as Anna, Sofia, Vasilisa, and Anastasia.
One fertilized egg, four daughters, and a medical team facing a situation few doctors will ever encounter.
Sometimes nature produces a story so rare that even experienced medical professionals stop and take notice.
