TRYING for a baby, Deonna Fletcher was excited to see the line appear on the pregnancy test.
But what the 26-year-old, from Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, didn’t realise was that she was actually already pregnant – with twins conceived six days earlier.
Mum couldn’t tell them apart at first[/caption]
Deonna pictured with her girls – who she had to put in ankle bracelets to tell apart[/caption]
The triplets were born at the same time but are actually twins and a singular baby[/caption]
She’s one of only 10 documented cases to experience ‘ superfetation’ – a condition so rare it has a ‘nearly zero’ chance of happening.
Now mum to four little ones Amani, Amber and Dream, all three – and a son Antonio Junior or AJ, two – Deonna speaks exclusively to Fabulous:
WITH sore boobs and no sign of my period, I had no doubt that I was pregnant.
“You ready?” I said to my partner of nearly two years, Antonio Livingston, 26, unwrapping a test.
“Let’s do it,” he replied.
We’d only been trying for a couple of months, but, moments later, we watched two lines appear. Needless to say we were ecstatic.
Sudden agony
An early scan confirmed the pregnancy was viable. But six weeks later, while working at my job as a hairstylist, I grabbed my stomach in pain.
“I’m having a miscarriage”, I thought, panic consuming me.
I dashed to the hospital where Antonio met me. He held my hand as I was given a scan.
“The baby’s fine, but there’s another sac,” the doctor said, puzzled. “With two babies in it.”
“So, there’s three?” I said, confused. “How is that even possible?”
The doctor seemed as surprised as we were.
“This is extremely rare,” he said, unable to tell us any more than that.
Back home, the news started to sink in. Though we’d been trying for a baby, being outnumbered with three would mean we’d really have our hands full.
“We can do this, can’t we?” I said to Antonio. “Of course we can,” he reassured me.
Unexpected surprise
At our next appointment, we sat down with a doctor.
“You’ve experienced superfetation,” he said.
It meant I’d become pregnant twice in one week, with the first fraternal baby conceived six days before the other two.
It was so unusual, the chances of it happening were close to zero. According to the Cleveland Clinic in the USA, a non-profit which specialises in medicine, only 10 people have had it happen in history.
“You ovulated twice, but at two different times,” he added.
Triple trouble
Since I was a teenager, I’d struggled with irregular periods, sometimes having two each month. It’s likely this is why it occurred.
He explained that because of the unusual circumstances of my pregnancy there was a risk, which he told me were identical, were at risk of developing twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome, or TTTS, which could be fatal if one got too many nutrients and the other too little.
“It’s your choice whether to terminate or not,” the doctor said.
Antonio and I immediately shook our heads. There was no way we could choose between them.
What is superfetation and why is it so remarkable?
How did Deonna get pregnant… and pregnant?
The phenomenon is called superfetation and according to experts while rare it does happen.
It happens when a woman’s egg is fertilised by sperm while another fertilised egg is already growing in the womb.
While doctors still don’t know exactly why this happens, a spike in reproductive hormones is thought to be a key player.
Connie Hedmark, a obstetrician at Marquette General Hospital in Michigan, told BabyCenter: “Pregnancy hormones usually shut down a woman’s system, making it impossible for her to ovulate during her pregnancy.
“This is why superfetation is so remarkable.”
Our family and friends were stunned by our news and loved watching my triplet bump grow.
At 18 weeks, Antonio came with me for a gender scan.
“What’s your guess?” he asked.
“Two boys and a girl,” I replied.
We didn’t find out until our gender reveal party.
“One, two, three!” Antonio counted. Then we popped two huge balloons.
‘Practically zero chance’
Everyone cheered as pink confetti filled the air.
“Three girls?” I shouted.
We chose the names, Amani, Amber and Dream.
Feeling the babies kick became the best part of my day.
The pregnancy was going smoothly, with no sign of TTTS, and the babies were all sharing the amniotic fluid evenly.
Early arrival
One day, at 24 weeks, I was sitting on the couch watching TV with my sister.
“I can’t wait for your baby shower next week,” she said.
“Me neither,” I replied.
Then, as I stood up, I felt a gush between my legs.
“My waters have broken.” I said. “It’s too early.”
I was a little more than 24 weeks.
Antonio rushed home and took me straight to hospital.
Luckily, I still had plenty of fluid left.
Bed rest to keep safe
Wanting to make sure the triplets stayed inside me for as long as possible, doctors put me on bed rest at the hospital.
Antonio helped me with my meals, got me out of bed and helped me shower. I couldn’t have done it without him.
Two weeks later, it was our two-year anniversary.
He helped me into a wheelchair and pushed me to the fifth floor balcony of the hospital. To my surprise, there was a table for two overlooking the atrium, complete with champagne for him and beautiful flowers for me.
Antonio gave me a single red rose, then took my hand.
He produced a stunning pear-cut diamond ring and got down on one knee.
Surprise number two…
“Will you be my wife?” he asked. I’d been gutted to cancel my baby shower, but the proposal definitely made up for it.
In January 2021, at 32 weeks, I was wheeled into theatre for a C-section.
As soon as Amani, Amber and Dream were delivered, they were whisked off to the neonatal intensive care (NICU) to be monitored.
Hours later, I visited them.
Though premature, they were thriving.
My milk supply was enough to breastfeed all three girls.
One month later, we strapped the triplets into their car seats and took them home.
How to tell them apart
Antonio and I got them on the same schedule, and family helped out so I could get some sleep. We also put personalised ankle bracelets on them to tell them apart.
For their first birthday, we held a virtual party on YouTube.
Just before they turned two, we got another surprise.
I was pregnant again. Thankfully, it was just the one this time.
Pregnant again… but just the one!
In October 2022, we welcomed a boy, Antonio Junior, or AJ.
The triplets fell in love with him, hugging him at every opportunity.
Now, Amani, Amber and Dream, are three, and like peas in a pod. AJ is never short of their attention.
When I first did that pregnancy test, I never dreamed I’d end up with three girls – and a boy, too!
Being a parent is the hardest job in the world.
Our children keep me on my toes, test my patience, and help me find the humour among the chaos.
I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Antonio holds youngest son AJ while his daughters look on[/caption]
The scan of Deonna’s uterus when she was pregnant – twice[/caption]
