Quintuplets die of ‘low birth weight, lung complications’

Karachi

The quintuplets born three days ago at the Darul Sehat Hospital died on Friday; the administration of the medical facility attributing their demise to low birth weight and lungs complications.

In a statement, the Darul Sehat Hospital announced the death of the five newborns - three girls and two boys ­­- citing low birth weight and lungs complications as the reason for it as the babies were born in the 26th week. However, their weight was not mentioned by the hospital administration.

It was learnt that two of the quintuplets weighed 0.5kgs and the other three weighed 0.6kgs, 0.7kgs and 0.8kgs.

Low birth weight is common in Pakistan where a large population is malnourished.

A senior health expert said: “Many of these babies don’t survive if proper care isn’t provided at specialised neonatal health facilities under the supervision of qualified pediatricians and trained health technicians.”

“The survival of newborns depends on the care they receive. Advances in neonatal management have made a considerable improvement in the survival of newborns but in developing countries, neonatal morbidity and mortality are still very high because of the lack of trained experts and specialised facilities,” the expert explained.

The Darul Sehat Hospital administration condoled with the quintuplets’ family and offered to support them in overcoming their loss.

Pediatricians say birth asphyxia (deprivation of oxygen to infant at the time of birth), prematurity, jaundice, and sepsis (infections of blood and tissues) are some of the major causes of infant mortality.

They advise that prematurity, birth asphyxia and sepsis can be reduced through public awareness and preventive strategies at the grassroots level are needed.