Four is the score

Meet the newest members of the al Hassan family, only the third set of quadruplets to be born in Dubai.

DUBAI-NOVEMBER 21,2008- One of four quadruplets born to a Sudanese woman at Al Wasl Hospital's ICU. Photo Courtesy Al Wasl Hospital *** Local Caption ***   PV Quadruplets1.JPG PV Quadruplets1.JPG
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They each weigh roughly the equivalent of a bag of sugar and are blissfully unaware of the stir their birth has caused. These four newborns have set their own small record by becoming only the third set of quadruplets born in Dubai. The babies, who have yet to be named, are being cared for in incubators in a special care unit at Al Wasl Hospital where only their parents are allowed to see them. The babies, two girls and two boys, weigh less than 3lb each after being born prematurely - but they were said by doctors last night to be in a stable condition.

Quadruplets are extremely rare, with few pregnancies making it to full term. Mothers have a one in 700,000 chance of giving birth to four babies at once. Yesterday, their mother, Nazik Awad al Hassan, said: "I am so happy but extremely tired. I have not seen them since the birth. "I found out I was expecting quads eight weeks after falling pregnant and was very surprised. We do not have multiple births in our family. Thankfully, they are all doing well."

Mrs Awad, 30, originally from Sudan, arrived in Dubai three months ago to join her resident mother and sister, who helped her through the pregnancy. Her husband, an advertising executive aged 40, missed the excitement of the birth but was due to fly in from Sudan today. The couple already have a three-year-old son, Mazin. Mrs Awad went into labour at 2am on Thursday and give birth by caesarean section three hours later. The babies are believed to have been conceived naturally and not the result of fertility drugs, which increase the chances of multiple births.

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