Pregnancy is a stage in women’s lives where they do and think about things they do not normally do. There are always many questions on a pregnant lady’s mind; for instance, she is constantly thinking about what she will wear as all of her dresses don’t fit her now and other questions like how it will happen, etc.
With all these questions, one emotion that always overwhelms pregnant ladies is the excitement of motherhood. Bethani Webb, a first-time mom, had a mix of emotions like fear, excitement, joy, and worry when she found out that she is expecting quadruplets. But this was not the only surprise for her; another one was waiting upon delivery when doctors took a closer look at the newborn faces and found something.
1. Love relationship:
Almost everyone fell in love at some point in their life, but lucky are those in a relationship with the right person. When someone is in a relationship with the right person, it brings happiness in their lives, and that happiness radiates from their faces. Such people plan their lives together because it will lead them to have a bright and prosperous future.
Bethani and Tim is one such couple from Northern Alberta, Canada, and their love story is just like any other love story. When Bethani and Webb hit their early twenties, they started to make plans to live together. They started planning their wedding, and they also intended to have kids, settle in their lives, and have a happy family life.
2. Got pregnant:
Mostly, the couple in a committed relationship can expect kids at any time based on their preferences. However, it is also true that pregnancy is a blessing of God. It comes to you when God wants you to bless with it. Hence, many couples struggle for years to conceive, and most couples conceive when they least expect it.
In the case of Bethani and Tim, things started to happen faster than they expected. Soon after they got married in June 2015, Bethani realized that she is pregnant. The couple wanted to wait at least one year before they have their first child. They tried to adjust to their new relationship first and then wanted to expand their family, but unexpectedly, they got the surprise.
3. First examination:
The married couples are supposed to go to the hospitals for some examination and tests. Many tests are done, including blood group compatibility and fertility tests. Further examination is done based on the results of these tests. The expected couples also go through these tests, and they are essential for mother and child health.
When Bethani confirmed on Christmas Eve, 2015, she is pregnant, she knew that now is when the couple visits the hospital for their first-time routine examination. At the hospital, the nurse gave them news which turned out a shocking surprise for the couple. Maybe it’s a pleasant surprise for many, but Bethani and Tim did not expect this present for Christmas.
4. First ultrasound:
There are specific ethical requirements that the doctors and other medical staff have to fulfill for all medical procedures. Ultrasound also has its code of ethics, and the medical practitioner must abide by it. One such code of ethics for the ultrasound is that the ultrasound result should be announced to the couple after reassuring the results.
The Webb couple was excited to meet their child for the first time, but then the nurse asked them unconventional. The nurse asked if the couple is aware of any multiple births in either of the two families. The coupe replied negative, and they were confused that why the nurse is asking such questions. But then the nurse called their attention to the ultrasound screen.
5. An unexpected result:
The result of any test, whether educational or medical, has the potential to change one’s life forever. The hospital tests are more critical because they can reveal your underlying health issues. Most of the time, symptoms show that you have some health issues, but many people do not believe them until they are provided with solid evidence.
The nurse revealed that they are expecting not just one or two or three, but four babies. Bethani told Global News Canada that she thought she might have heard it wrong and turned towards the screen. She said, “I looked at the small screen, and there is a little baby, here are two, there are three, and there are four.”
6. Pregnant with quadruplets:
Imagine if you expect not just one or two or three but four babies, won’t you consider yourself lucky? Yes, you will, and not just because you will have four kids at a time, but because this is very rare. You will also be very excited to share this news with your family and close friends.
When the couple finally digests this surprise, the joy of having quadruplets started to overwhelm them, and they could not wait to break the news to their family and friends. The Dr. James Bofill of the University of Mississippi said that the chances of conceiving quadruplets without fertility treatment are 729,000.
7. Getting prepared for the Quadruplets:
By now, all the family and friends knew that the Webb’s are pregnant with the four babies, and the pregnancy was also progressing well. Bethan and Tim would often discuss the gender of their kids. Tim, the kids’ father, said he wanted to have two opposite sexes, but he did not know that another surprise was waiting for them.
With the progressing pregnancy, the couple started their preparation for welcoming their kids into their lives. Few months before delivery, they had another ultrasound and were surprised to know that all their babies are female. One month after this revelation, Bethani arrived at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton to deliver the quadruplets.
8. A caesarian section:
All the doctors are experts in their respective fields and know better which treatment or procedure a particular patient needs. Before making a final decision about the medical process, doctors carefully evaluate its benefits and consequences and inform the patient and their family about it to trust that the decision is made in their interest.
After evaluating Bethani’s condition, the doctors advised her to go for a caesarian section at 33 weeks of pregnancy. Bethani and Tim fully trusted their doctor, and the four cute little girls were born through a caesarian section. It was not less than a miracle that Bethani conceived quadruplets and delivered them without any complications.
9. All the four newborns were identical:
Science has gone through remarkable evolution, but it is still impossible for science to make a female conceive with identical quadruplets. So Bethani delivering four identical girls is nothing but a miracle. Everyone was stunned by, looking at the four similar babies lying side by side in a baby cot.
The likelihood of conceiving quadruplets without any fertility treatment is low, so the Webbs delivered not just quadruplets, but identical quadruplets that are miraculous. All the four newborn girls were similar with one umbilical cord, and even with the medical assistance, the odds of such cases are once over 15 million births.
10. Naming the quadruplets:
The first time parents of four babies were ecstatic and trying to give all the love and attention to them. They were thrilled yet terrified because they knew that it would not be easy to manage four babies simultaneously. But as the kids are here now, the couple started to look for cute names to give to their four babies.
While talking to Global News Canada, Tim said, “It was like a magic show because they come out one, two, three, four… It was kind of surreal”. When it was time to name the children, the couple made a list of their favorite names, and they choose Emily, Grace, Mckayla, and Abigail.
11. A worried father:
Like every other parent, this couple was happy with the birth of their newborns, and it would not be wrong to say that their happiness was multiplied by four. Both Bethani and Tim were so happy and excited to welcome their newborn kids.
Carrying a pregnancy to the full term always poses many risks, and having multiple babies’ poses an even higher risk not just to the mother but to the babies too. Tim was so frightened throughout the pregnancy and wanted everything to be all right. He told the Edmonton Journal, “I feel extremely happy that the babies are here. I feel blessed and relieved because we were worried about the multiple births. Lucky for us, our babies came out perfectly fine with no worries”.
12. The perks of multiple babies:
The newborn biological clock is not adjusted, and they follow a problematic cycle. In the initial days of the infant’s life, they are unable to differentiate between days and night. For them, the days are like nights and the nights are like days.
It is hard for parents to manage one newborn, and it’s harder to manage multiple newborns. Multiple babies mean more sleepless nights and more diapers. It also comes with many other challenges, like the parents might need external help. But the multiple babies do have their perks; for example, you do not have to choose just one name out of your favorites. Bethani told Global News, “it was nice not having to pick our favorites. We could choose four that we liked.”
13. Differentiate between identical babies:
It is always tough to differentiate between identical twins, and the Webbs had to distinguish between the quadruplets. All the identical quadruplets were just like a drop of water, duplicate without any mark or sign that will help to make them different from each other.
Although the couple had named the quadruplets, it wasn’t easy to distinguish them from each other physically because all the four girls looked surprisingly alike. Bethani and Tim got help from the incubator to differentiate between their identical daughters, in which they were placed right after their birth. Each girl was placed in an incubator with her name tag, so the parents were not confused between quadruplets.
14. Incubator helped in distinguishing:
It isn’t easy to distinguish between identical newborns. Usually, all newborns for their initial days look alike to some extent, and if the newborns are similar, it is harder to tell them apart. So to avoid confusion, parents put some marking or sign on the identical newborn to prevent confusion and easily differentiate between them.
In the case of Bethani and Webb, the marking for distinguishing between the quadruplets was the incubator. But still, it was tough to tell them apart outside the incubator. Bethani told CTV News that “at the moment, I am glad they have been separated, so we can tell them apart. But when holding two side by side, I can’t tell them apart at all”.
15. It’s easy to differentiate between identical young kids:
Undoubtedly, it is hard to distinguish between similar newborn babies, but as time passes by, the physical features and personality traits of kids become distinct and help differentiate the identical kids from each other. That’s why it is easy to tell apart the identical young kids and tell who is who by name.
Every person has unique features and personality traits that help them to be different from others. So the parents of multiple identical kids use these distinct traits and features in their favor. Talking to CTV News, Bethani said that the quadruplets have different personalities and help them separate. She added that Emily and Mckayla are relaxed, while Abigail is the smallest and Grace is a fiery character.
16. Identification marks:
The personality traits and physical features help identify between multiple identical kids, but this thing doesn’t work ft newborns and toddlers. It is still challenging to tell apart the identical toddlers. The easiest solution to identify between the multiple babies is to use different accessories or objects.
When the Webbs came back home with their quadruplets, it was too difficult for them to distinguish between them, as now the four little girls were out of the incubators. So Bethani and Tim came up with a plan, and they decided to use different color bracelets and hair accessories. The couple also thought about coloring the toenails of the quadruplets in different colors.
17. External help:
It is not easy to raise a child; it needs a lot of time, energy, and effort, and raising quadruplets require four times the amount of time, energy, and effort. It sounds fascinating to raise the quadruplets, but it is so demanding, and the parents cannot do it all by themselves; they need help and support from their family and friends.
Raising a baby is overwhelming, but it has its own challenges, and if it’s the quadruplets, it multiplies the challenges by four. One challenge for the Webbs couple was that they were first-time parents of quadruplets, and they had zero experience of raising and handling kids. So they moved within Tim’s mother, who gave them a hand. Besides Tim’s mother, the 820 residents of their hometown Hythe, Alberta, also provided excellent support.
18. Monetary help:
Raising a child does not only need time and effort, but it needs a lot of monetary resources, too, and consequently, quadruples will need four times more monetary resources. Arranging all these resources was impossible for the Webb couple, but then stepped in the organizations that helped people stuck in such a situation.
Bethani and Tim received physical help from Tim’s mother, but still, they needed a lot of resources to take proper care of the babies. Talking to the National Post, Tim said, “the community had a fundraiser that brought in about $50,000, and there was a GoFundMe that was set up by the friends”.
19. A joyous couple:
Kids are sweet souls, but taking care of little babies like infants and toddlers is a very hectic job. By the end of the day, you will feel drained out of all your energy. As the kids grow, they can easily communicate what they want or need, and the presence of them around brings joy to the family and the rest of the family.
It was challenging for Bethani and Tim to raise the quadruplets, but they were always up for the task. Talking to the Global News, Bethani said, “it will be madness in the very early years, but it will also be very exciting.” Tim concluded by saying, “I can’t wait to see them grow up and see how close they all will be.”
20. A genetic profile of quadruplets:
The quadruplets are born simultaneously, but not all of them need to have similar physical features. The quadruplets or twins or triplets who do not have similar characteristics are called non-identical or fraternal. If all of them have the same physical features, and they look alike, they are called identical.
So the webs had identical quadruplets, and the fact is that it is rare, and the odds of its occurrence is 1 in 15 million. A question that arises here is why sometimes the quadruplets are non-identical. What is the genetic profile of those who do not have similar features? A San Francesco mom decided to discover her non-identical quadruplets’ DNA and was shocked by seeing the ancestry test results.
21. Advantages of DNA testing:
Over the years the science has gone through significant development, and now with the help of scientific technology, it is easy to determine the paternity of a child. Many decades ago, it seemed impossible to find out about the birth father of a child but not now, and it is a miracle of science.
If there is doubt about a child’s heritage, the parents can now confirm it through DNA testing. DNA testing will not cost you a considerable amount; the scientists do it for a minimal fee. The DNA test does not just confirm the paternity of a child, but can also identify a person’s ethnic background. The test is done through a sample of saliva or a strand of hair.
22. Reassurance of DNA test:
There are people who doubt the DNA test results, so for reassurance, the mother sample is also taken to check if the quadruplet DNS is the same as the mother’s, and it is also done to reassure the authenticity of the DNA test.
The DNA test of quadruplets brings us to another interesting story. A mother, just for fun, experimented, but the results revealed some fascinating information. She did a DNA test of herself, and after a surprising revelation about her roots, she did her quadruplets DNA test to reassure the test results. For this, she tested the samples acquired from her quadruplets and herself.
23. To know about her birth family:
Technological and scientific advancements have made it very easy to find out about the ethnic background or verify one’s genealogical relationships. Even the procedure to do the DNA test is straightforward; all you have to do is give a sample of your saliva or take out a strand of hair from a hairbrush and give it to the doctor.
A San Francesco mum, Amy Jones, thought that “it might be quite fun” and had her DNA test done to find out about the ethnic background of her family. She submitted her saliva sample to be analyzed; after a few days, she got the electronic genetic test result, which left her ultimately mesmerized.
24. The disadvantage of DNA tests:
Just like any other thing, the DNA test, too, has some advantages and disadvantages. Although the positive side of DNA testing weighs more than its negative side, we cannot neglect the downside of DNA testing. One of the most significant disadvantages of DNA test is that it has separated many families after discovering their true identity.
Amy Jones was also going to be hit by the downside of DNA testing. First, she was surprised to see the result of her DNA test. Another surprise was the reply of her parents’, which Amy was not expecting. She called her mother and asked, “we are Irish?” her parents replied, “we really are?” Then she said, “That’s what it says, so I guess it’s true.”
25. Hard to believe:
As we said earlier, for some people, it is hard to believe the results of a DNA test. They are simply not ready to accept the new information, which was unknown to them throughout their lives. Even after getting the DNA results, such people try other methods to find out the truth because they are not convinced about the DNA test’s accuracy.
Amy Jones is one such person who doubts her DNA test result and is reluctant to believe it. So to reassure her DNA test result, she came up with an idea and decided to confirm her DNA test result with the help of her quadruplets.
26. The fraternal quadruplets:
The twins, triplets, and quadruples can e identical and fraternal or non-identical. The quadruplets with similar physical features and look alike are identical, and those who do not share the same physical appearance are non-identical. The non-identical quadruplets are born simultaneously, but they are all in a separate amniotic sac in their mother’s womb.
Amy’s quadruplets were fraternal, but it’s not like all of them have different features. It is not wrong to say that Amy gave birth to two sets of twins born simultaneously. Hugh and Katie are different in their physical appearance, and they are non-identical, while Gabe and Seth look surprisingly alike. Amy is going to use the DNA sample of her quadruplets to check the accuracy of her DNA test
27. The integrity of the test:
For the DNA test, you have to be very careful to avoid inaccuracies. It is also not recommended hiding any information as it might have severe implications on the test result. Besides being cautious about the data, one should also make sure to protect its integrity.
Amy Jones works with San Francisco media KPIX 5 to ensure the integrity of the process. She took some measures to keep the process as blind as possible. The measures included sending the DNA samples of quadruplets marked with different names and ethnicities. She also mailed the samples from other cities to hide the fact that there are taken from relatives.
28. The efficacy of DNA test:
The information revealed through DNA tests is delicate, and a specialist in the field always does this test. The result of the DNA test remains the same, no matter if someone believes it or no. If someone repeats the test from some other center, they should get the same results.
The Jones family was surprised by seeing the results of the DNA tests of the quadruplets. They were stunned by seeing the details of the identical twin’s test results. The test result said that the DNA of the quadruplets was similar to around 71% of Northwest Europe and almost 7% of British and Irish.
29. The accuracy of the test:
The DNA test is usually done to solve the problem of parentage of an individual and also to verify someone’s heritage background. This test is not as simple as it sounds. A person conducting the test has to maintain a high amount of discretion; a minor mistake can ruin someone’s life.
Amy was shocked to see the DNA test result of her quadruples because the result showed her kids more Irish than her. Jones was compelled to do her kid’s DNA test after seeing her test results. But to her surprise, the DNA test not only indicated that Amy is Irish, but it says that her kids are more Irish than she is.
30. Explanation help from an expert:
If you do a DNA test after receiving the test result, an expert will help you understand the test result’s components. It is necessary because many people find it challenging to comprehend the test result, so the expert sheds more light on your origin and genealogical relationships.
When Amy received the test results of quadruplets, she was even more astonished to see the result of Katie’s test. Hugh’s fraternal twin, Katie, had much higher British and Irish ancestry than other siblings. Amy started to doubt Katie’s origin, but then the expert told KPIX 5 that it is entirely normal in the case of fraternal twins.
31. Different DNA in fraternal quadruplets:
Amy’s two quadruplets are almost identical, and both of them have similar DNA structures. The other two sets of twins, Katie and Hugh, are fraternal, and their DNA is different from each other. This information is astounding, how four kids born from the same womb simultaneously have different DNA.
Dr. Ballard said, “you would expect there to be differences, and I would have been astonished if it had come back without any.” she further explained that identical twins have similar features, so they have identical DNA, but the non-identical twins have different DNA because more DNA can be taken from a particular parent.
32. Jones was convinced:
Initially, Jones doubted the results of hers and her quadruplets DNA test, but after an expert shed light on the process and gave her professional opinion about the results, Amy ended up accepting and trusting science. It is not just Amy; the same happens with many people who do not believe the science but later find it convincing.
Ms. Jones said she took a breath of relief after the expert explained everything about her and the quadruplets DNA test results. Amy said, “It gives me a little more certainty about the test results” she added that she finally accepted the power of science and also the fact that the quadruplets can have different DNA.
33. The integrity of the center:
There are several centers that the DNA test, but each center follows its own precise method of carrying out the test. It means there is no standardized method of performing the DNA test. So, we can assume that with the absence of a standardized process for DNA tests, one can receive different results from different centers.
Dr. Ballard told KPIX 5 that DNA testing centers like Ancestry DNA and 23andMe make sure to provide an accurate breakdown of a person’s ethnicity. She also said that these results would improve by accumulating more samples and increasing the geneticist data. So it is imperative to carefully select the DNA testing center if one wants to receive an accurate result.
34. Select the testing center carefully:
After all the discussions with Dr. Ballard, Jones realized that carefully selecting the DNA testing site or center is essential. The reason behind it is that each testing site uses different testing methods, which raises serious questions about the authenticity of the test results. So one should go for a center that has higher integrity of the results.
Jones also learned that the center she selected has higher result integrity and can trust the results. So now Amy Jones knows that her origin is probably Irish. She was pleased to see that the Ancestry DNA matches the DNA of potential family members who the same center has also tested.
35. Keeping genetic records:
Some DNA testing sites keep a record of the data and use this data in future DNA tests. The experts said that the larger the database, the more systematic the testing process is, and it increases the reliability of the results. So if an individual wants to do a DNA test, they must look for a site that keeps the record.
Jones sent the sample of her quadruplets with fake names; their test result was still linked to Jones’s profile as a potential family member. Remember that Jones previously had done her DNA test from Ancestry DNA. So the company took Amy Jones’ genetic information from their record and linked it with the quadruplets.
36. The genetic database of the site:
When a sample is submitted to a site for DNA testing, the genetic composition of the sample automatically adds to the site’s database. This database is used for finding out the ancestry of a person. When Ancestry DNA linked the DNA test results of the quadruplets with Jones’s profile, they had not requested any permission to do so.
Jones told KPIX 5 that “it worries me” that her information was used on the results of her four kids. Jones did not like that the site automatically recorded her genetic information and used it for other purposes without asking for her permission.
37. One must be cautioned before going for a DNA test:
Initially, Jones was worried about her DNA test because it revealed something that was never known to her before. She wondered that how is it possible that she had been wrong all her life, and to clear her doubts, she even consulted her parents.
Once she reassured her ancestry with the help of her children’s DNA test, she thought it wasn’t a big deal. At least now, she knows that she and her kids have some Irish ancestry. The good thing was that she knew where her kid’s Irish ancestry is coming from. Dr. Ballard cautioned others who are planning to get their DNA test to be ready for any revelation.
38. The DNA test is risky:
DNA tests are done for various purposes, and the most common of them is to determine the parentage if there is uncertainty. Another objective is to verify the heritage, where they come from.
Dr. Ballard also pointed out that matching the genetic code help the sperm and egg donors find out their biological children. Some users also discovered that they are adopted if their DNA doesn’t match any of the parents. The DNA test also highlights other issues in the family, such as non-paternity. Dr. Ballard explained that DNA test is risky, and one should be prepared for any situation as it reveals family secrets.
39. Matchmaking feature of DNA test:
The DNA test has many features, and one of them is matchmaking. In this feature, similar genetic codes are linked together to show that they might be potential relatives. Jones and other users expressed their reservations about this feature because it can reveal the family’s long-buried secrets.
The KPIX 5 informed Ancestry DNA about the users’ reservations; as a result, Ancestry DNA announced that they are making the DNA match feature optional. So anyone who opts for this option is already aware of the consequences, and they are fully prepared for any kind of revelation. Still, Dr. Ballard warned the users to understand what they agree for.
40. Making DNA matching optional:
Once it came to the notice of Ancestry DNA and other DNA testing sites that people have reservations on the DNA matchmaking feature, so they made this feature optional. By taking this step, the test sites had eliminated some risks involved with the DNA test.
Dr. Ballard warned, “I advise people to look at these privacy settings and decide how much information they want to give out.” She also added that “there is an inherent risk in the DNA testing process, and we all need to be aware of them before proceeding.” On the other side, the DNA test helps people to know where they come from. Many people are doing their heritage DNA test for fun, just like Jones did. As Jones said, “I thought it would be kinda fun to know where I’m from.”
