MERCY KANINI LOSES FIFTH AND LAST BABY AFTER TRAGIC QUINTUPLET BIRTH

Mercy Kanini has lost her fifth and last surviving baby days after giving birth to quintuplets at Thika Level Five Hospital. All five premature newborns have now died after being transferred to KNH for specialised neonatal care.

Watch Getembe TV Live

Broadcast Getembe TV Live Stream

Listen Getembe FM Live

Tune in to Getembe FM Live Broadcast

Mercy Kanini, the Juja mother who recently attracted national attention after giving birth to five babies through normal delivery, has suffered another heartbreaking loss after the death of her fifth and last surviving newborn.

The development means that all five of Kanini’s babies have now died, just days after their rare birth at Thika Level Five Hospital in Kiambu County.

Kanini delivered the quintuplets after going into labour prematurely. The babies—four girls and a boy—were born at an estimated gestational age of about 26 weeks, with their weights reported to range from approximately 600 to 800 grammes. Their extreme prematurity and very low birth weights placed them at significant risk and required specialised neonatal care.

The five newborns were transferred from Thika Level Five Hospital to Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) shortly after delivery so they could receive specialised care in the neonatal intensive care unit.

On September 15, reports confirmed that four of the babies had died at KNH, leaving one baby under medical care.

The remaining baby's death has now brought the family's devastating ordeal to an end, with Kanini and her family mourning the loss of all five children.

The quintuplet birth had initially been celebrated as a rare medical event. Kanini, who is from Juja, had reportedly expected four babies based on earlier scans, but five babies were ultimately delivered. The delivery was also unusual because all five were born through normal vaginal delivery rather than Caesarean section.

The babies' premature arrival, however, presented serious medical challenges. Health officials explained that their lungs were not fully developed and that their extremely low weights meant they needed continuous specialised neonatal support.

The tragedy has drawn sympathy from Kenyans, with attention now focused on supporting Kanini and her family as they come to terms with the loss.

Reports on the circumstances surrounding the deaths have also led to calls from some family members for answers regarding what happened after the babies were transferred to KNH. The family's concerns have been reported, but any allegations regarding the cause or circumstances of the deaths should be treated as claims until officially established.

What began as a moment of extraordinary joy for Kanini and her family has therefore ended in profound grief, following the deaths of all five newborns within days of their arrival.