Newswise — When Maisun Akhras was 10 weeks pregnant, she visited her doctor who upon examination heard two heartbeats and then a third.
“We thought my wife was pregnant with one baby,” said her husband Ramzi. “We were shocked to discover that we were going to have triplets.”
The couple, who also have a 5-year-old son, Ali, had struggled for years with infertility.
After learning about the triplets, they decided to transfer their care to Loyola University Medical Center, which provides coordinated high-risk obstetric and neonatal care for some of the most difficult cases in Illinois.
After 36 weeks of a relatively routine pregnancy, Maisun arrived at Loyola with her husband for a scheduled C-section on Friday, April 24. The couple was surrounded by a team of maternal-fetal medicine specialists and nurses led by Paula Melone, MD. They were joined by a team from Loyola’s level-III neonatal intensive care unit who were prepared to care for the babies upon delivery.
Dr. Melone and her team performed the C-section and delivered Saleh, Suhaib and Ahmad within minutes of each other beginning at 9:47 am. They arrived weighing 5 pounds, 15 ounces; 5 pounds 14 ounces; and 4 pounds, respectively.
“The birth of our triplets is like our very own hat trick,” Ramzi said. “We had a happy outcome. We hope the Blackhawks will, too.”
Big brother Ali looks forward to welcoming his little brothers home soon. Saleh and Suhaib will leave the hospital tomorrow with their parents. Ahmad will spend additional time in Loyola’s neonatal intensive care unit for observation before joining his brothers at home in Palos Hills.
“Our son was hoping for three little brothers,” Ramzi said. “He is thrilled, and we are thankful for our babies and to everyone who cared for us.”###
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