A midwife from Peterborough has beaten all the odds by giving birth to three identical bouncing baby girls.
It is believed that the odds of naturally conceiving identical triplets could be as high as one in 200 million.
After being born seven weeks early, Olivia, Gabriella and Alessia, have gained weight and are thriving at home. Carmella Testa, aged 23, and her fiancé Richard Rees found out they were expecting triplets at the 12-week scan.
The blue-eyed girls were born by emergency caesarean in January after Miss Testa's blood pressure became too high. It was three weeks before the couple were able to bring them home because weighing between 3lb 4oz (1.47kg) and 3lb 10oz (1.64kg) they needed incubators as part of their care.
"I was very shocked. They weren't planned. They were born on 9 January, two days after my birthday so they were a lovely present," said Miss Testa.
Both parents have a history of twins in their families but not triplets.
Her colleagues in Peterborough Maternity Unit gave her some extra special treatment.
"I'm quite small - only 5ft - so at the unit, they joked that out of all the midwives, it would have to be me that gave birth to triplets.
"Everyone was great there. My three close friends delivered each of the babies."
The girls have each now gained 7lbs (3.2kg) and are doing really well, although the couple admit life is now pretty hectic.
"It's a miracle. I'm so overwhelmed when I see them. I can't believe they are mine and that they are perfect," she said.
Identical triplets occur when a single fertilised egg splits to create three separate embryos. Non-identical triplets, which is more common in women who have undergone fertility treatment, occur when three separate eggs are fertilised.
April 2008
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