39-year-old mother of twins gives birth to triplets

A 39-year-old mother of twin girls in Ningde, Fujian province delivered triplet boys on Feb. 14, 2017. According to an obstetric statistical formula, the odds of this happening are just one in 55 million.

Aside from the youngest triplet, who has been on a respirator since birth due to his underdeveloped lungs, all the children are healthy. The woman, Lan Jinhua, is the only person in her family to experience multiple birth, and neither of her pregnancies were influenced by assisted reproductive technology. Lan's twin daughters are currently 9 years old.

Lan's family was excited when she became pregnant last year with triplets, though they were apprehensive about the cost of raising five children. So far, the family has borrowed hundreds of thousands of RMB for the youngest triplet's medical treatment. The father, Lin Detong, now 48, says he will shoulder the responsibility of his expanded family. Remaining optimistic, he hopes to live to be 100.