An Australian mother got pregnant twice as she carries one of her child for 10 days. As a result, she carried her babies with two different gestational ages. This pregnancy case called superfetation is a rare medical condition that it had only 10 documented cases worldwide.
Kate Hill delivered the girls on the exact same day 10 months ago but they are not considered twins. Apparently, Olivia and Charlotte have been born out of two different sets of sperm and egg cells and were conceived in different sacs while in the womb. When Hill's gynecologist found out of her medical condition, the Brisbane-based mother told Today Tonight that she was stumped she had to Google it first.
Despite the miracle babies being born on the same day, Charlotte and Olivia developed at a different pace. They even had different due dates.
What's more astonishing is that Kate Hill and her husband, Pete, only had sex once during Kate's conceivable period. Conceiving one of her daughters days after another meant that Pete's sperm was able to live up to 10 days until another egg was released and fertilized.
How This Woman Got Pregnant While She Was Already Pregnant https://t.co/5a0F6MCk00 #pregnancy #superfetation pic.twitter.com/hF5TUutBL5
— ReachMD (@ReachMD) November 16, 2016
According to SELF, superfetation occurs among several animal species like rodents and rabbits. However, it is extremely rare to occur among humans to the extent that some experts are mystified by it and deem this medical case as impossible.
Superfetation is said to be unlikely because once a woman gets impregnated, the body is automatically signaled to halt ovulation. Hence, releasing of another egg is extremely impossible except for the case of fraternal twins. Also, ovulation takes place usually every after 28 days and with Hill's case, it only took her about 10 days to ovulate again despite being pregnant.
The medical director of FemCare OB-Gyn in Miami, Dr. Jason James, says that superfetation is theoretically possible when the uterus closes during a pregnancy at a certain point. This occurs usually at day 10 of pregnancy.
One possible reason for this superfetation is Hill's undergoing treatment for polycystic ovarian syndrome. The mom-of-two was said to be on hormonal pills, which can mess up ovulation, and this can possibly be attributed to her superfetation.
The fact that the Hill patriarch had a very healthy sperm that lived up to 10 days adds up to the possibility of superfetation. OB gynecologist at California's Providence Saint John's Health Center, Sherry Ross, told the publication that Pete had one "super-sperm."
Nevertheless, the Hills are lucky to have their two daughters healthily. The father even joked it was a "hole in one!"
