While Six Weeks Pregnant, Woman Undergoes Rare Double Pregnancy

Pregnancy is an exciting journey for any mother, and Rebecca Roberts was no exception. But when she discovered that she had somehow become pregnant while already pregnant, things took a fascinating turn...

Meet Rebecca

Our story starts with Rebecca Roberts and her partner Rhys Weaver. The couple lived a peaceful life in Trowbridge, United Kingdom, and when Rebecca fell pregnant, the timing seemed nearly perfect.

Not only did she enjoy a happy relationship with Rhys, but she also had her own small business that she ran on Etsy, which focused on making clothes for animals and children. She welcomed pregnancy joyfully, with no idea that it was going to radically change the course of her life.

Their First Child

Before we jump in, let's check in 14 years before their story begins. Rebecca actually had another child before the events we're going to cover; a girl named Summer Grace. For those first 14 years, Summer was raised as the couple's beloved only child, growing up alongside their dog, Daisy.

But in the 14th year of Summer’s childhood, her mother made an incredible discovery - she was going to give birth again! Rebecca’s daughter was going to be a big sister. But of course, it wasn’t that simple, and the circumstances leading up to the birth announcement would take them on a strange and concerning journey.

A Bun In The Oven

It was February 2020, a historical period when billions of people around the world were experiencing nationwide lockdowns. It was during this unusual time that Roberts began to notice the tell-tale signs of pregnancy. She wasted no time taking a pregnancy test and was stunned to see the positive result.

Rebecca rushed to the hospital as soon as she could. "I was offered an early scan at seven weeks," she said. "Rhys was able to come to the scan, too, as hospitals were still open at that point. We saw our tiny little baby. It was so small, and we were told we were expecting one baby."

Next Visit

As most expecting mothers would, Rebecca returned to her doctor for another checkup. This time, for her 10-week ultrasound. And, of course, seeing her child moving in her stomach set her heart fluttering. That is until her doctor informed her that this was a “geriatric pregnancy.”

Geriatric pregnancies do come with certain risks, but Rebecca and Rhys tried to push that thought aside as they looked forward to the arrival of their second child. And by that 10-week scan, they were overwhelmed with joy. Rebecca had already “fallen in love” and felt “so lucky” to have her baby on the way.

12 Weeks In

Due to the nature of a "geriatric" pregnancy, Rebecca found herself returning to the hospital at regular intervals. She went back to the sonographer just two weeks after that previous visit. It was this visit that would be the start of a very peculiar series of events in the pregnant woman's life.

Rebecca recalled the day in detail, explaining, "Fast forward a few weeks, and I had my 12-week scan. Unfortunately, Rhys wasn't allowed in the hospital as lockdown had begun." That was when the sonographer noticed something very strange on the woman's ultrasound.

Another Child?

The sonographer thoroughly examined the ultrasound before giving her waiting patient the surprising news - another baby was present in the image, and it appeared she was going to give birth to twins. "Nothing could've prepared me for this news," she recalled.

But something didn't seem right. "It was only a few weeks before that I saw 1 little baby wiggling around," Rebecca said. "What on earth had happened, how did they miss the other baby?! The sonographer was gobsmacked, I was gobsmacked." Now it was time to give her husband the bizarre news.

Sharing The News

The shocked mother was still trying to calm herself after what the sonographer had told her. "It was a good job I was lying down, otherwise I would have been on the floor," she laughed. But she still had to share the news with her husband, who was waiting diligently for her outside.

Rebecca popped out and informed her husband, who had difficulty believing the news. "When I told Rhys, who wasn't allowed in with me due to corona, he didn't believe me," she said. "It was only when I showed him the printout, and we could clearly see two babies, we realized we were having twins."

Things Take A Turn

But the flustered woman still had to return to the clinic for more scans, a sequence that felt surreal to her. "I actually felt like the moment wasn't real," she said. There were "many emotions running through her." She stepped back into the sonographer's office so the new baby could be measured.

Now the midwife was called in, along with other medical personnel who were fascinated by this unusual case. "The midwife was so intrigued with this shock and then what was to follow," Rebecca said. After measuring the new baby, it was clear that something was wrong, as it was noticeably smaller than the other child.

Their Ages Were Different

Now, this size discrepancy isn't necessarily strange for two twins. But in the case of Rebecca Roberts and her children, the difference was highly unusual and concerning. "They could not understand what was going on and why the size difference was so big," she explained.

The size could indicate poor health in the second child, which was very worrying. But that wasn't all. "After multiple scans, the twin specialist at Bath Royal United Hospital came to the conclusion that I had ovulated again," Rebecca said. "So basically, I got pregnant whilst being pregnant."

Different Ages, Same Birth

This was a rare phenomenon known as "superfetation," and it meant that Rebecca and Rhys' two unborn children were born three weeks apart. This explained why the sonographer had not picked up on a second fetus during the previous scans and why the second child was so small.

They began talking the worried mother through future expectations for birth. To her surprise, the medical staff informed her that it would "be treated like a normal DCDA twin pregnancy. It will just be a bit of a worry that T2 will be premature, though." They would be born at the same time, with an expected due date of October 30th.

How Often Does This Happen?

After a fairly exhausting day of discovery, it was time to head home. But Rebecca was far from ready to sit back and relax. Instead, she went straight to her computer to research 'superfetation.' "We were told it was very, very rare, but we found out there were only a handful of other stories," she said.

"There are just 13 documented cases in the world ever," she explained. But according to Asma Khalil, an obstetrics professor, it's "impossible to put an accurate figure on how many occur. It's rare because once someone falls pregnant, further ovulation... is suppressed, so it's very unlikely eggs will be released."

“Our World Came Crashing Down”

And the sonographer and other doctors who had seen Rebecca that day were well aware of the rarity of her case. In fact, many were skeptical that superfetation had even occurred. "They were adamant it wasn't superfetation," she said. "It was like they were trying to prove that something was wrong."

"There was talk of a virus, of chromosome problems like Edwards, cystic fibrosis, and other hugely stressful things. At one point, they were not sure if the baby would survive," Rebecca recalled. "Our world came crashing down; I couldn't enjoy my pregnancy at all. All the things you are supposed to enjoy were gone."

Risk After Risk

It was beginning to seem like the entire pregnancy process was cursed for the worried woman. Not only was she an at-risk pregnancy due to her age and also carrying twins, but there was an ever higher concern now about the baby’s development. It was exhausting.

"It's hard to comprehend the amount of uncertainty I felt back then when I was pregnant," Rebecca recalled. Having two "twins" that were 3 weeks apart could place the second child at considerable risk since the child would likely have a dangerously low birth weight along with other issues.

An Impossible Choice

The doctors continued examining her, and it became apparent that Rebecca and Rhys might have to make a horrifying choice. The process of superfetation meant that Rebecca would also be at risk due to a series of complications, according to Healthline. High blood pressure and gestational diabetes were just some of these issues.

But Rebecca and Rhys stood firm. "If there was anything wrong, it wouldn't make us feel any different, we would still continue with the pregnancy of that twin," she insisted. "I love my babies so much, I will protect them for all their lives. The other twin is perfectly fine."

Gender Reveal

Rebecca's doctors continued frantically running tests and scans, but they eventually came to the conclusion that superfetation was the only explanation. This finally gave Rhys and Rebecca the closure they needed to begin preparing for the birth, as any normal parents would.

This meant preparing the nursery and buying baby supplies, though they held off on learning their children's genders. "I've only got neutral clothes for now, as we are keeping their genders a surprise," Rebecca shared. "Maybe it's one of each! I really don't mind, I hope for healthy happy babies."

One-Sided Feelings

But as the couple began their preparations, Rebecca felt something that sent her reeling all over again. While she could feel her older baby kicking away, she felt nothing from the second child. "I could feel [Twin 1's] tiny kicks, but nothing from [Twin 2] yet," This was due to the baby's anterior placenta, but it still worried her.

"I do worry about T2 movements every day," Rebecca mused while her pregnancy continued on. "Maybe I'm just comparing it with T1 movements. I know T1 is bigger and a bit older, so kicks and movements will be more noticeable, but it makes me feel like T2 isn't moving that much."

Things Go Wrong (Again)

During this period, Rebecca also began having meetings with her consultant obstetrician, whose job was to monitor and care for pregnant women like her. But the first appointment was not an optimistic one. "How I'd love to say that everything went perfectly well and both twins are fine," she said.

But everything was not fine - quite the opposite, in fact. "I'm waiting for an emergency appointment to see a specialist at a Fetal medical hospital," the distraught mother shared. "I've cried and cried, my face is sore. I just need answers now. I love my babies so much."

Another Specialist

After days of waiting, Rebecca finally had an appointment with a fetal specialist at the hospital. It was without a doubt, "one of the most nerve-wracking days" she had ever experienced - and the research she had done over those few days had only made her feel worse.

Thankfully, the baby's prognosis was better than the internet had prepared her for. "So not good news, but it's not as bad as we were anticipating," the relieved woman said. "The issue with the baby isn't fatal." But it did mean that she had even more tests and scans ahead to monitor the health of the fetuses.

Emergency C-Section?

But the rollercoaster was not over for the nervous family. After another in a long line of checkups and tests, doctors discovered that the second twin's heartbeat had dropped. "I got sent straight over to the main hospital where they strapped me to an ECG for 2 hours," Rebecca shared.

There were all sorts of solutions offered, with some hospital staff suggesting that they induce early labor, and others considered using steroids on the fetus in the case of an emergency C-section. To everyone's surprise, the baby's heartbeat rose again during this period in the hospital.

Almost There!

And so Rebecca returned home again, even more shaken up than she had been before. She and Rhys knew that pregnancy wasn’t a walk in the park, but this had been more challenging than they could ever have imagined. Not to mention, the due date was creeping ever closer.

The couple didn't let these past obstacles stop them from feeling optimistic about their children's birth. "We've made it to 32 weeks," Rebecca shared with her friends and followers online. "I hope my little ones stay in there a bit longer. My consultant says they could be here any day now!"

Noah & Rosalie Are Born

She and Rhys had hoped to reach 34 weeks before giving birth, but very soon after her post, Rebecca was rushed to the hospital. There had been problems with the second baby's umbilical cord, and the anxious mom would have to undergo a C-section. Her babies, Noah and Rosalie, were born on September 17, 2020.

Noah was 33 weeks old weighing 4 pounds, 10 ounces, and little Rosalie was 30 weeks old, weighing 2 pounds, 7 ounces. "Rosalie was considerably smaller than Noah," Rebecca shared. "She looked extremely premature and spent the first 2 weeks of her life in a special baby hospital because she had gotten into a bit of trouble."

“Nothing Could Have Prepared Us”

At this point, their children would have to be separated, with Noah staying with his mother at the NICU and Rosalie being taken to a different facility so the doctors could run more tests. It was going to be essential to find out whether their little daughter had any other conditions that might have stunted her growth.

The next few days involved test after test, stressful for both the parents and the newborn. "Nothing could have prepared us for the journey Rosalie was about to take, the heartbreak we had over and over watching her screaming and being poked and prodded," Rebecca recalled emotionally.

Results Roll In

The doctors suspected that little Rosalie could have either cystic fibrosis or Edward Syndrome, and they prepared the worried parents for the worst. Thankfully, everything seemed fine. "Rosalie was clear of any abnormalities, so that put that straight," Rebecca said.

"The twin specialist is still convinced she was conceived later, and these babies really are miracles," she continued. There was no doubt now that Noah and Rosalie were the product of superfetation. While this was a relief, Rosalie still had to be monitored with constant care due to her premature birth.

Back In NICU

Rosalie spent two more weeks in the specialized care facility before she could finally return to the NICU. Noah, on the other hand, was happy and healthy and able to go home with his family after 21 days in the hospital. Sadly, Rosalie would be remaining at the hospital for the time being.

And it weighed on their exhausted parents. "The stress has been unreal. Back and forth to NICU every day, and sometimes I have been staying in to be with Rosalie," Rebecca said. "Traveling to 2 different hospitals was hard on everyone!" What made it worse was that these two twins had not spent any time together since their birth.

Seeing The World

On one of their trips to the NICU with Noah, the two parents were given a wonderful surprise - the hospital staff suggested that they go for a walk through the hospital with both of their babies. The couple was shocked but excited. "I almost didn't believe [the nurse] at first," Rebecca recalled.

"Rosalie was this tiny baby in an incubator, covered with wires and beeping. So how on earth would she or could she be able to go in a pram?" she continued. But the staff had portable equipment that allowed the couple to stroll through the hospital grounds and outside with both of their babies for the first time.

Welcome Home

All in all, little Rosalie spent 95 days in the NICU before her parents were able to take her home. She was then finally released from the hospital, just a few days before Christmas. And the couple was over the moon at the prospect of having both babies at home.

"Words can't explain how happy we are to have both the twins home," Rebecca said in an interview with HuffPost UK. "Noah is really thriving, and so is Rosalie. She's growing well." For almost a month, they were able to enjoy their time at home together, settling in as a normal family. But sadly, the peace didn't last long.

A Return To The Hospital

Once again, Rosalie had to be returned to the hospital due to health complications - she had a hernia. "At first, the doctors thought her hernia was quite small," Rebecca said. "But during the operation, they found that it was very large, and she unfortunately also had another big hernia."

Though the pandemic was still in full force, anxious Rebecca was insistent on staying with her child in the hospital. "I couldn't bear not being able to look after her," she explained. Thankfully, this time the staff allowed her to stay, and Rosalie was soon able to head home.

A Beautiful Reunion

Rebecca and Rhys finally got their baby home again, hopefully for the last time. Though Rosalie was "a bit sore," she returned home smiling. "I'm so glad she won't remember this," an exhausted Rebecca confessed. "She's been through so much in her little life already."

There was no doubt in anyone's mind that the girl was a fighter. "A friend said Rosalie is meant to be in this world," her mom said. "She fought all the way to be here." After so many months of anxiety and uncertainty, the family was finally back together, and Rosalie could continue to bond with her parents and siblings.

Some “Big” Differences

As the infants grew up, Rebecca and Rhys had to get used to the shocking difference in the twin's sizes. "The weight difference between them is mental," she admitted. "You can easily move Rosalie around with one hand, but Noah, you would need to hold him with both."

Rosalie continued to be unusually small for her age, with even her smallest diapers looking "huge" on her. They also developed at different rates due to Rosalie's premature birth, with Noah beginning to vocalize and develop his motor skills quite a bit earlier than his sister.

A Double Miracle

That being said, Rosalie was trucking along beside her brother, and things were looking good for the family. While they monitored their children closely, it seemed both Noah and Rosalie were happy and healthy. During this time, the twins also bonded more closely, becoming an affectionate brother/sister duo.

Despite their struggles during and after pregnancy, Rebecca and Rhys are so proud of their family. "It's the most strangest, amazing, miracle, and it happened to us. I do feel very lucky," Rebecca said. "My babies really are a miracle, and I want to tell the world." Keep up with the miracle family at @roberts.supertwins on Instagram.