Rare quadruplet birth ends in tragedy in Kupwara

Srinagar: In a rare incident, a woman in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district delivered quadruplets at the Community Health Center (CHC) here during the intervening night of Sunday and Monday, but unfortunately, all of them could not survive.
Officials said that a pregnant woman was transferred to CHC Kupwara from the Public Health Center (PHC) Keran after experiencing complications on Sunday evening.
The expectant mother, who was in her seventh month of pregnancy, was transferred from PHC Keran, Block Kralpora, and arrived at SDH Kupwara around midnight.
She was attended to by a medical team at the CHC, including a female doctor, a nurse, and a Female Multi Purpose Health Worker (FMPHW). Tragically, she delivered the quadruplets at 2:00 a.m., comprising three boys and a baby girl. This was a premature delivery, the officials said.
Medical Superintendent (MS) of CHC Kupwara, Dr Mohammad Shafi, said the babies were delivered through normal childbirth. He said although the mother was safe, given the premature nature of the birth and the underweight condition of the babies, they were referred for advanced medical care.
Officials at CHC Kupwara said that all necessary procedures and preventive measures were strictly followed and that the parents were well-informed about the condition of the underweight babies and the need for referral.
The situation took a tragic turn when they were referred to Handwara District Hospital, as upon arrival, three of the babies were declared deceased, and the fourth baby was referred to Srinagar for advanced medical intervention, where the baby also could not be saved.
A relative of the affected family, who wished anonymity, criticised the Aasha workers in the Keran sector, holding them accountable for not accompanying the mother-to-be. “Authorities must make them accountable and question them for their half-hearted dedication towards their jobs,” he said.
The family conducted the last rites for three of the babies in Zangli Kupwara. The fourth baby, referred to Srinagar, would also be laid to rest in the same place, a relative said when this report was filed. The mother was discharged from the hospital.
Another relative said the couple, who had been married for just a year, was expecting their first child