Remember back in middle school health class? When we all sat around awkwardly giggling during the “let’s talk about sex” discussion? Remember learning all about the reproductive system, the egg and the sperm, conception, and giving birth?
Me too.
I still have the “Giving Birth” 16mm film etched in my brain forevvvvver. It traumatized me for years.
Remember also learning that women can get pregnant WHILE they are already pregnant??
Yeah, me neither.
And yet, it’s totally a thing, apparently (and not just something that happened on that one Grey’s Anatomy episode.)
A woman, who goes by the handle @blondebunny1, recently discovered that she is pregnant with TRIPLETS, after getting pregnant WHILE already pregnant with twins.
Surprise!
Count this as one of those times when I can honestly say, “I’m so happy this didn’t happen to me.”
In a series of TikTok videos, the first-time mom shares her pregnancy journey (and cautionary tale), revealing that she and her fiance found out about the triplets at their 12-week ultrasound when the doctor calmly broke the news. First asking the question:
“This is a spontaneous pregnancy?
Followed by:
You have three babies inside.”
As opposed to one. Or even two.
As the news started to sink in and he pointed out each baby on the monitor, @blondbunny1 responded with:
“Three? Oh my God.”
And I just have to say, I can think of a few choice words I would have used instead.
As for her fiance? He begged the question:
This is an April Fool’s joke, right?
Quickly followed by nervous laughter, because, hellloooo, THREE babies. THREE. At the same time. Well, almost the same time…
Just in case learning that you’re pregnant with naturally conceived triplets isn’t enough for one day, there was one more pint-sized surprise.
The doctor also discovered that one of the triplets was conceived 10 days after the twins – a phenomenon known as superfetation.
It is defined as:
The occurrence of a second conception during pregnancy, giving rise to embryos of different ages in the uterus.
That’s right folks. She was already pregnant when she got pregnant a second time. And I feel like this is something we should have been taught in sex ed class.
In a TikTok video that has been viewed over 1.2 million times, @blondebunny1 explains:
“Normally your body is supposed to switch up your hormones and stop you from ovulating again once you’re already pregnant. In my circumstance, it did not. About 10% of women can actually ovulate twice a month but only I think, Like, 0.3 percent actually get pregnant a second time.”
Their babies technically have different due dates, however, because they were conceived within a couple of weeks of each other, they will be born on the same day.
This, however, isn’t always the case. Some superfetation pregnancies result in the siblings having different birthdays.
“Ours are only a couple of weeks apart but they can sometimes be months apart, and those people actually have to have two different due dates.”
To confirm it was superfetation and not just twin absorption or a malnourished baby the doctors are doing ultrasounds every two weeks.
“And sure enough it’s been hitting every single milestone, growing at a healthy rate, just ten to 11 days behind the first two babies we have.”
According to Christine Greves, MD, an ob-gyn in Orlando, Florida, superfetation is incredibly rare. In an interview with Health.com, she states, “It’s so rare, in fact, that I can’t even give you a statistic on it.”
While this is supposedly a very “rare” occurrence, there are a surprising number of commenters on TikTok who have either experienced the SAME thing or know someone who has.
Additionally, if you’ve ever watched “The Maury Show” or “Jerry Springer,” you’ll know that it’s definitely possible to have a set of twins with two different fathers. This is referred to as superfecundation (and was not what happened in this particular case.)
As for how @blondebunny1 feels about having triplets? She says that she and her fiance are excited about their impending triple threat.
“We hit the jackpot it’s our first pregnancy and we’ve got three coming at once. So probably going to be my last as well.”
No doubt.
They are currently 17 weeks along in their pregnancy journey and will be doing a gender reveal within the next couple of weeks. Stay tuned…
While they can’t wait for their family of five, the expectant mom does have a word of warning for other pregnant women out there saying:
“So when your man doesn’t want to use protection because you’re already pregnant – I would be cautious.”
And pregnant women everywhere are now doubling down on every contraception known to man.
As for those of us who are already done having babies? We are all saying a silent prayer of thanks to the fertility gods that this did not happen to us (thank youuuuuu).
In all seriousness, we want to say congratulations to the happy couple and we wish them and their babies the absolute very best.
@theblondebunny1 Reply to @coffeewine.11 Getting pregnant while already pregnant! ? #pregnant #pregnancyjourney #tripletsoftiktok #babies