Twins delivered 87 days apart

A woman in Ireland gave birth to twins 87 days apart, The Belfast Telegraph reported.

Dr. Eddie O’Donnell, a consultant obstetrician, said this birth was “probably the first of its kind” in Irish medical history and described the event as “extremely unusual.”

Maria Jones-Elliott, 34, went into labor four months early on June 1, 2012. She gave birth to daughter Amy, who was just 1 pound, 3 ounces. But after Amy was born, the contractions stopped.

Jones-Elliott, from Glenmore, County Kilkenny, remained at Waterford Regional Hospital until Amy’s twin, Katie, was born 87 days later on August 27.

“Most people haven’t heard about this,” said O’Donnell, who worked with the team of doctors delivering the babies.

Unsuccessful attempts to induce labor again after Amy was born were made, but Jones-Elliott and her husband, Chris, decided to wait it out and let their second daughter arrive naturally. It was a tough choice for the couple, as health complications could arise from inducing labor or waiting it out.

O’Donnell said medical literature documents an 84-day interval between twins, so this could possibly be a world record.

Jamie Panas, public relations manager for Guinness World Records North America, said Guinness is looking into this case. She added that the current record is 84 days: Peggy Lynn of Huntingdon, Pa., gave birth to daughter Hanna on Nov. 11, 1995. Hanna's twin, Eric, was not born until Feb. 2, 1996 - 84 days later - at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, Pa.

Amy and Katie are healthy, and the family said they are happy.