Pregnancy news is always exciting, especially for women who dream of becoming mothers.
There are a lucky few who don’t find any difficulty in conceiving and delivering their babies.
Other women struggle mostly in conception due to hormones and other adverse effects of today’s lifestyle.
But pregnancy can also come with surprises, one that will catch you off-guard.
A mother from San Diego, California, had the shock of her life during her second pregnancy.
What made it more shocking was that it seemed to come to her in increments or phases.
Genevieve “Genna” Knox was first surprised by how she easily conceived the second time.
At 39 years old and having a full-time job, she expected it might take a few tries before she and her husband Kyle would have their second baby.
The couple was happy that they didn’t have to worry about that.
However, they were welcomed with another surprise.
Genna was 20 weeks pregnant when she found out she was having twins.
She had her ultrasound that day when the ultrasound technician double-checked her if she was having twins.
To her surprise, there were indeed two babies in her tummy!
She admitted that she opted out of the Nuchal Translucency Scan (NT Scan) during her first trimester when her prenatal tests were okay, and the test would’ve detected that!
But the biggest surprise came nine weeks later.
Genna and Kyle decided to take a 4D Ultrasound Scan as a keepsake to give to their families.
She felt uneasy when it took the sonography quite a long time to scan.
He was moving the wand across her tummy, until he finally told her she was having triplets!
They were so stunned that they couldn’t remember what had transpired that day!
Genna later gave birth to her triplets (all girls) at 33 weeks.
The couple, along with their firstborn, Liam, welcomed Kaylee, Lily, and Cecilia into their lives.
What was once a family of three doubled in just one day.
Now, the triplets are three years old and are such a joy to watch!
Despite spending a few weeks at the neonatal intensive care unit after birth, all three girls are now living healthy and happy lives.
They’re in preschool and thriving and are loved by their big brother.
So, is Genna’s case a rare one? No, it’s not.
According to Dr. Sean Daneshmand, the director of Maternal-Fetal Medicine at Scripps Clinic, what happened to Genna was the “hidden triplet syndrome.”
And while it might come as a surprise to the couple, this occurrence is not as uncommon.
“When the babies are very small, one baby can hide behind the other. Typically, by 26, 27, 28 weeks — the baby that’s been missed will suddenly appear,” Dr. Daneshmand told TODAY.
But when is the best time for a mother to know how many babies she’s carrying?
According to another maternal-fetal care expert, Dr. Ahsley Roman, anywhere between the 8th and 10th week is optimal.
However, if you can recall, Genna opted out of the NT scan in her first trimester, and this explains why the twin and triplet news came as a surprise.
“As the baby gets bigger, how much our ultrasound probe can see is a little bit more limited by the size,” Roman told TODAY.
Know more about the Knoxes’ fantastic story by following their Instagram Page.
@knoxedoutnumbered Wait for it… #triplets #pregnancy #pregnancystory ♬ original sound – TheQuiteFranklyShow
