Quadruplets were born at the USZ at the beginning of March. Despite thousands of births, this is also a rare occurrence at the USZ. This is also the case for Beate Grass, Head Physician at the Neonatology Clinic, and Nina Kimmich, Head Physician at the Obstetrics Clinic.
Ms. Grass, Ms. Kimmich, how often are children in a “four-pack”?
There are already few triplet births; 19 triplet births were recorded in Switzerland in 2020 and 2022, and eleven in 2021. Quadruplets or even quintuplets are even rarer. There was only one such multiple birth in Switzerland in 2020, and none at all in 2021 and 2022.
How frequent are quadruplet births at the USZ?
We had one quadruplet birth each at the USZ in 1995, 2005, 2015 and now 2024.
Why are quadruplet births so rare?
Most quadruplet pregnancies end on their own in the early stages or in the first half of the pregnancy because one or more children are not completely healthy or there is an early rupture of the membranes, bleeding with contractions or other complications.
What is the challenge of multiple births for neonatology?
Quadruplets are always born prematurely. They need appropriate neonatal support over a period of weeks to months. However, the health problems and medical measures for quadruplets do not differ from those of individual premature babies. Quadruplets are a logistical challenge for neonatology teams and appropriate resource planning is required for the birth, as all four children have to receive intensive medical care at the same time. After initial care in the delivery room, the children are taken to the neonatology department. Admission capacity must also be created here at short notice, e.g. by transferring children so that the multiples can receive intensive medical care there.
What determines the time of birth?
A caesarean section is always performed for the delivery of quadruplets. However, this does not mean that the timing can be planned well in advance. The decisive factor is ultimately the medical situation. In most cases, mothers go into labor too early or their water breaks much too early, which in turn can trigger contractions, but can also lead to an infection. Other reasons may be growth retardation of one or more children due to a reduced supply to the placenta or impaired blood circulation. As the pregnancy progresses, reasons such as maternal exhaustion, breathing difficulties and sleep disturbances due to the large abdominal girth come to the fore in the decision to give birth.
