Doctors tend to one of the babies at RIMS in Imphal on Monday. Picture by UB Photos

Imphal, Sept. 22: A 32-year-old woman gave birth to quintuplets — four girls and a boy — through normal delivery at the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences here this afternoon, creating a record of sorts in Manipur.

Four babies have survived, while a girl died. Two of the newborns are said to be critical.

Naorem Nabakishore Singh, head of the gynaecology department of RIMS, told The Telegraph, “There are five to six cases of birth of triplets at RIMS every year. But this is the first time in Manipur that a woman has delivered quintuplets.”

He said though there were reports of delivery of quintuplets and more in other parts of the world, such cases were rare.

Oinam Geeta Devi, a housewife residing at Thanga in Bishnupur district, 50km south of here, delivered the babies within a span of seven minutes from 1.05pm. She was seven months pregnant.

Two of the babies weighed 900gm, two 700gm and one 800gm at the time of birth. Doctors are monitoring the babies round-the-clock at the neo-natal intensive care unit.

Geeta Devi already has four children, three boys and a girl. They were all born normally.

Her husband, Oinam Shanta, appeared to be in a daze as he shuttled between the ward where his wife was admitted after delivery and the ICU.

“Of course I am happy. But I feel sad at the demise of one baby. Doctors said two are critical,” Shanta, a fisherman, said. Doctors did not allow mediapersons to talk to the mother, saying she was weak.

The father also seemed unnerved by the crowd that the report attracted. The relatives of other patients thronged the ward, hoping to get a glimpse of the babies and the mother.

Geeta Devi was in labour this morning following which her husband took her to Bishnupur district hospital, which then referred them to RIMS.

The couple had consulted a local physician in the earlier stages of pregnancy. Following the doctor’s advice, Geeta Devi got an ultrasonograph done.

“The ultrasound results said there were three babies. Three were ok with us. But we never expected five. I pray the four survive,” Shanta added.

The deliveries were done under the care of three doctors. “It was incredible,” a hospital staff, who witnessed the deliveries, said.

An American woman had given birth to 17 children this year, which is considered to a world record.

India’s record is delivery of 10 babies by Anju Kushwaha, 28, from Satna district of Madhya Pradesh. But none of the babies survived. Anju had delivered nine babies on way to hospital while the tenth was born in hospital. All were stillborn.