While much of America was gathering around a dining table on Thanksgiving, one hospital stayed busy caring for 12 sets of newborn twins.
The phenomenon happened at Saint Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri. The staff believe it’s the largest number of twins the hospital has ever cared for at once.
Nurse Danielle Gathers told CNN affiliate KMBC – “We always see multiples in here, but not 12 sets at one time.”
Statistics back her up. Overall, twins, triplets and more account for about three per cent of births, so to have 12 at one time is one for the books. And hospital staff says all are incredibly cute.
From the parents perspective, the odds of having identical twins are about 3 in 1,000, whereas the birth rate for all twins is about 33 in 1,000.
Every set of twins was born this week — all between five and 14 weeks early, a spokeswoman for the hospital told CNN. They’re being cared for by staff in the neonatal intensive care unit.
Though some of the babies are looking at longer stays in the hospital than others, new mom Amanda Tollifer told KMBC she’s hoping her new bundles of joy will be home by Christmas.
Saint Luke’s Hospital is one of the largest faith-based care hospitals in the region—and assists in more than 2,400 births every year. And those with the most complicated pregnancies are sent there.