Quadruplets discharged from Phoenix hospital; return home to Rhode Island
PHOENIX (AZFamily) — Identical quadruplet baby girls and their parents are now back home on the East Coast after spending their first two months at a Valley hospital.
Rachel and Marco Vargas returned home to Cranston, Rhode Island, with four little bundles of joy. In January, the couple welcomed their identical baby girls into the world — Sofía, Philomena, Veronica and Isabel.
The couple traveled across the country for help with the pregnancy, seeking treatment from renowned multiple-birth specialist Dr. John Elliott at Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix.
“While it hasn’t been an easy journey, we’re thankful that we came to Banner and Dr. Elliott for care, and we can’t wait to share the milestones that will come with raising our beautiful girls,” Rachel said.
Dr. Elliott had never seen a pregnancy case like Rachel’s in his career. He said the chances of a pregnancy and delivery like Rachel’s were potentially around one in 40 million.
Two babies shared the same amniotic sac and had the umbilical cord inserted into the fetal membranes instead of the placenta, which could result in a 30-40% risk of death to the babies. Doctors say two of the babies were then diagnosed with twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS), where there is uneven blood flow between identical twins sharing a placenta.
“With all the complications involved in Rachel’s pregnancy, we were very candid about the risks and potential outcomes, but we also underscored the importance of having a positive outlook,” Dr. Elliott said. “I believe that played an important role in her successful case, along with constant top-class medical care throughout their stay in Phoenix.”
The doctor and his team helped deliver the baby girls at 30 weeks. They remained in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) under the care of neonatologists, nurses and respiratory therapists until they were healthy enough to be discharged in late March.
“It was such a privilege for our team to care for Rachel and her babies,” said Dr. Suma Rao, medical director of the neonatal ICU at Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix. “These kinds of pregnancies can be quite scary for the parents and family members, so we are thrilled that they are all back home now with their healthy girls.”
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