Woman With Two Wombs Gives Birth To Triplets With Two Babies Grown In One And The Other In The Second
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A mum with two wombs has given birth to triplets - having twins in one and a sibling in the other!
In a UK first, 32-year-old Melanie Bassett from Hampshire - already mum-of-two - was in total shock when doctors discovered she was carrying two babies in one womb and another in the other.
Melanie first discovered she had a double womb while pregnant with her first daughter Phoebe - now three. She later fell pregnant again, and welcomed son Blake two years later.
And almost one year ago, little Brooke and Isabel along with younger triplet Beau, were born in January.
Having twins from two wombs (also known as uterus didelphys) is extremely rare, estimated at one in a million.
In fact, there have only been four known cases globally, with Melanie and husband Ben's triplets believed to be the first in the UK.
"When we were told, it was quite crazy!" said Melanie.
"Ben is one of four and I'm one of three but I don't think having a big family was on the cards. But I wouldn't change it for anything. I noticed a difference being pregnant with the triplets.
"I would often find myself having to deal with them kicking on both sides. One would kick and it would set all of them off!"
Rather than having a regular womb, Melanie's is heart shaped and has two chambers. It doesn't affect fertility, but can slightly increase the risk of miscarriage of premature birth.
While Phoebe was delivered via C-section at 29 weeks, weighing just 2lb 3oz, Blake was born at 34 weeks via C-section, weighing 6lb 5oz.
And it was just two months later, when Melanie discovered she was expecting again. It was not until her 12-week scan that the sonographer told the couple they were expecting triplets - much to their surprise.
As a result of the rare pregnancy, doctors advised Melanie to attend fortnightly scans to keep an eye on the triplets. It was feared they could develop twin to twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) - a rare pregnancy condition which occurs when multiple foetuses share the same placenta.
Melanie said: "It wasn't until I was pregnant with the triplets and had been seen up at St. George's in London where the consultant carried out more testing involving an internal scan to see how thick the septum was splitting the two uterus.
"A gynaecologist then carried out a speculum test and discovered I had two cervixes side by side. It's never been picked up on any of my smears.
"Weirdly, I had the same cravings as I did with the other two. I just craved jelly sweets, particularly Haribo. I was pretty big and felt enormous.
"I was very uncomfortable day and night, extremely tired but had to get on with it for Phoebe and Blake!"
Following the birth of the triplets at the start of this year, Melanie has had her hands full raising five children under three, and during a pandemic!
"We really are looking forward to Christmas," she said.
"We can't wait to see their little faces on Christmas morning. It's all about the children.
"Our family is now complete!"