A 36-year-old patient was referred to maternal-fetal medicine for advanced imaging following confirmation of a quintuplet pregnancy—an occurrence so rare it affects roughly 1 in 55 million births. Her clinical profile included advanced maternal age, hypothyroidism, and a history of miscarriage.
The pregnancy followed a single round of intrauterine insemination (IUI). However, the patient reported taking emergency contraception after experiencing complications and being told she could not get pregnant at the time. She also disclosed a personal and family history of hyper-ovulation syndrome.
The fetuses, labeled 1 through 5, presented as triamniotic, with one monochorionic-diamniotic pair (3 and 4). The pregnancy included three female and two male fetuses. Routine imaging identified growth restrictions in 3, 4, and 5. Notably, 2 exhibited dolichocephaly, with a cephalic index of 64%, and 3 presented with severe intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and abnormal umbilical artery Doppler findings—including absent end-diastolic flow, an indicator of compromised placental blood flow.
Initially planned for delivery at 32 weeks, the pregnancy was expedited due to deteriorating conditions. At 28 weeks and two days, all five babies were delivered via Cesarean section. Despite low expectations for 3, who weighed just 500 grams, each baby survived, with none requiring intubation.
This case demanded extensive collaboration between BB Imaging and our physician partners. While our team supported the pregnancy with a series of critical scans, including fetal echocardiography, biophysical profiles, and growth monitoring, additional anatomical and growth assessments were conducted by our partner’s sonography team. It was a coordinated effort built on clinical trust, diagnostic precision, and a shared commitment to maternal-fetal health.
As one of the few documented successful quintuplet deliveries in El Paso, Texas, this case is a powerful reminder of what’s possible when physicians and sonographers work side by side to guide even the most complex pregnancies with precision and compassion.
