Kenya: Mother from Juja gives birth to five babies after expecting four

Mercy Kanini, 28, expected to welcome four babies. On Monday, September 14, 2026, this resident of Juja, in Kenya’s Kiambu County, ultimately gave birth to five at Thika Level Five Hospital—four girls and one boy.

Prenatal examinations had indicated a quadruple pregnancy, according to The Standard. The fifth baby was only discovered at the time of delivery, turning an already unusual birth into a surprise for the couple.

Upon arriving at the hospital, one of the babies was already engaged. The medical team considered a surgical intervention before proceeding with a vaginal delivery, Mercy Kanini told K24 Digital. The governor of Kiambu County, Kimani Wamatangi, praised the work of the healthcare team and stated that all five children were born safely.

The couple already had a boy and a girl. The father, Evans Murirya Nyahanga, expressed joy at the arrival of the five newborns while acknowledging the material upheaval that comes with a family now consisting of seven children. He appealed for support from the governor and anyone willing to assist the family.

High-order multiple pregnancies require close obstetric monitoring. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists indicates that prematurity is their most common complication, and pregnancies involving three or more babies almost always result in preterm births.

The World Health Organization also cites multiple pregnancies as a potential cause of prematurity. It recommends early ultrasound to detect multiple pregnancies and at least eight contacts with healthcare professionals during pregnancy, starting before the twelfth week when possible.