Do you believe that a woman can get pregnant while already pregnant? I’m sure this makes no sense to you as it sounds absurd.
But upon hearing the story of a woman named Rebecca Roberts, your notion will change without a doubt. Her story goes thus:
Rebecca Roberts and her partner Rhys Weaver had struggled with infertility for more than a year.
She eventually got pregnant after using a fertility drug she got from a fertility clinic in Bath, England.
Multiple reports claimed that Rebecca Roberts got pregnant in February 2020.
At her 12th week of being pregnant, she got to know during her scan session that there was a second baby.
Prior to this development, she had two (2) scans (at her 7th & 10th week) and none of these revealed the second baby.
Her compelling story tells us that “SUPERFETATION” is the answer to the question: “Can a woman get pregnant while pregnant?”
What Is Superfetation?
Superfetation is described as a second pregnancy that occurs while a woman is already pregnant. It occurs when another egg is fertilized by the sperm and deposited in the womb, after the first one that resulted in the first pregnancy.
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Is Superfetation Possible In Humans?
The chance(s) of Superfetation occurring in humans is very slight. Research indicates that the few cases recorded were mostly as a result of taking very potent fertility drugs before the first pregnancy occurred. Or for women that underwent In Vitro Fertilization (IVF).
How Many Cases of Superfetation In Humans Have Been Recorded?
Beth Timmins, a reporter for Independent (a UK online newspaper) reported in 2017 that only 19 cases have been documented all over the world. Her findings corroborate the fact that Superfetation is very rare among humans.
Complications Associated With Superfetation
Superfetation has its risk, undoubtedly. This is because the egg (ovum) that produced a fetus and will later result in a baby was formed at a time different from the first baby. By implication, the babies will automatically grow at different pregnancy stages. For instance, one might be a month old and the other 2 months old.
It is also instructive to note that Superfetation might not permit both babies to be born at the same time. While the first baby is ready to be born, the other might not be; and this might expose the other baby to the risk of being born prematurely. A premature baby is susceptible to persistent health issues that may require regular hospital care.
What Is Superfecundation?
Superfecundation is a situation that occurs when the egg (ovum) of twins are fertilized by the sperm from different men. The import here is that the babies are twins but with two (2) different fathers (half-siblings).
