Haylee and Shawn Ladner of Purvis, Mississippi are calling the birth of their rare quintuplets a “blessing” after struggling with infertility. The pair has been married for nearly four years after knowing each other since preschool and have been trying for a baby for quite some time with her two previous pregnancies resulted in miscarriages. When she went in for a four-week checkup after her intrauterine insemination, the doctor found that her human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) levels were raised, indicating that she may be pregnant with twins. During her seven-week check up, which marked her longest pregnancy, the doctor found two gestational sacs, showing quintuplets, with four of the five babies being identical multiples.

Dr. Rachel Morris, who is an associate professor of maternal fetal medicine and the University of Mississippi Medical Center spoke in a press conference about the rarity of this pregnancy saying, “She had a quintuplet pregnancy with four identical females. Reports of spontaneous quintuplets vary but are about 1 in 60 million.” Shawn recalled his feelings when he and his wife heard the news saying, “I had to sit down on the bed with her. I couldn’t stand up.” He added saying, “My immediate reaction was just fear for her, because I thought, ‘How is she going to carry five kids?'” Their next worry was finding doctors who would be willing to take on such a rare pregnancy, but through family friends, the Ladner’s found Dr. Morris and her team. “They did exceptionally well. They took every precaution they that could’ve possibly have handled,” said Haylee.

Haylee entered the hospital in mid-January and stayed in the hospital under the care of doctors until her scheduled cesarean section on February 16th, marking her pregnancy 28 weeks and one day. Jake Eaton weighed 2 pounds 5 ounces at birth. Adalyn Elizabeth and Magnolia Mae both weighed 2 pounds 2 ounces. Everleigh Rose weighed 2 pounds 0.8 ounces. Malley Kate weighed 1 pound 11 ounces, but has joined the two-pound club since birth. Haylee and Shawn say that their babies are doing well in the NICU and are growing each day.

Haylee spoke about her emotions during this time saying, “This has been the biggest blessing I could have ever had in my entire life. I’m so grateful to be their mother and that God let me be their mother.” She gave advice to anybody struggling with infertility saying, “If there is anybody else out there who struggles with infertility or anything life that, they shouldn’t give up. If I had given up, I wouldn’t have those children that I have now.”