Woman dies hours after delivering quintuplets after 14 years of childlessness in Akure hospital

A 45-year-old woman, Mrs Mary Yaduyan, has died a few hours after giving birth to quintuplets at a specialist hospital in Akure, Ondo State, following 14 years of childlessness.

She had struggled to conceive for over a decade before achieving pregnancy in 2025 through in vitro fertilisation (IVF). The delivery marked her first successful pregnancy after years of medical treatment and anticipation.

Medical sources confirmed that she died shortly after a caesarean section that resulted in the birth of five baby boys. Her death was attributed to pulmonary embolism, a condition caused by a blood clot obstructing blood flow in the lungs.

Hospital officials said her pregnancy was closely monitored throughout. She attended regular antenatal care sessions and showed no major complications until around 31 weeks, when she experienced premature rupture of membranes. She was subsequently placed under intensive medical supervision to extend the pregnancy safely.

According to a lead consultant at the hospital, she also had a history of uterine fibroids, which were surgically treated two years earlier. He noted that she once complained of chest pain, but early assessments by a cardiologist did not indicate immediate danger.

After delivery, medical staff reported that her condition appeared stable, with normal blood pressure, oxygen levels, and no signs of excessive bleeding. Monitoring continued due to the high-risk nature of multiple births.

Her condition deteriorated suddenly a few hours later. Despite emergency resuscitation efforts, she could not be revived.

Her elder sister, Mrs Olusola Ajayi, said the family had been in contact throughout the procedure, including a video call with the husband who lives abroad. She said the family initially received news of a successful delivery and began preparing for the newborns before the situation changed.

Ajayi added that she left to get medication for the babies when she was informed of her sister’s sudden decline. On her return, she found medical staff attempting to revive her, but she was no longer responsive.

The hospital confirmed that both mother and babies were under continuous observation, adding that all efforts to stabilise her after the complication were unsuccessful.