Ashley Gardner and one of her four newborn daughters. (A Miracle Unfolding-Gardner Quad Squad)
The Utah mom whose shocked reaction to seeing four babies on an ultrasound went viral gave birth Sunday to four healthy baby girls, according to a family statement.
Tyson and Ashley Gardner, who struggled with infertility for 8 years, welcomed Esme, Evangeline, Indie and Scarlett about 12 weeks early via Caesarean section at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center, Fox 13 reported.
The babies are two sets of identical twins. Three of them were born weighing just over 2 pounds and the fourth, Indie, was born weighing slightly less than 2 pounds. The odds of conceiving two sets of identical twins are about 1 in 70 million.
A post on the family’s Facebook page, A Miracle Unfolding-Gardner Quad Squad, said all four girls have dark hair and are doing “incredible.”
In a video posting, Tyson said doctors reported the surgery could not have gone better, and that all four babies are continuing to improve.
When Ashley was just 19 weeks pregnant, doctors told her one set of twins was suffering from Twin-to-twin syndrome (TTTS), a rare disorder that occurs when the blood supply of one twin moves to the other in the shared placenta.
The Gardners flew to Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center for the procedure. Doctors successfully and equally diverted blood between the sets of twins, and Ashley was placed on hospital bed rest shortly after.
The couple has been chronicling their infertility struggle and journey to parenthood on a YouTube channel, and they have been providing updates on the Facebook page.
“I have been through eight years, and IVF was my last chance. It was my last step, and I wanted it documented, no matter what the outcome was,” Ashley told Fox 13.
“When I decided to publicly share my story of infertility, I realized it was nothing to be ashamed about,” she said.
Thousands of people have sent cards and gifts to the couple as they prepared to become first-time parents to quadruplet daughters.
“My life has been colored pink,” Tyson told Fox 13 before the birth of his daughters.
The couple thanked their doctors, nurses and supporters, and said they will continue to provide updates on their children.
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