Theresa Troia was a one-in-a-million baby born as one of four quadruplets.  

Births of that high order are extremely rare in the US, with just 120 births of quadruplets a year.

Knowing how rare this was, Troia was shocked to discover that she herself was carrying an even higher-order birth of quintuplets – five babies.

The 36-year-old from El Paso, Texas, shared with DailyMail.com that she conceived naturally with her former partner, without the help of any fertility treatments, which are often linked to increased births of multiples.

This made Troia’s pregnancy a one-in-60-million occurrence. In the US, fewer than 10 sets of quintuplets are born each year.

Troia, a nurse consultant, was surprised to learn that she was expecting quintuplets, as her pregnancy scans and ultrasounds were the only indicators. She mentioned that she never would have suspected it otherwise. 

She revealed: ‘It was odd. I didn’t experience any cravings and there was no swelling or sickness. 

‘I had no clue I was carrying quintuplets because my belly didn’t grow as large as expected. It seemed more like I was carrying one baby rather than five.’

On June 3, at 28 weeks gestation, Troia delivered her quintuplets—Kyla Rose, Joseph Anthony, Jaxon Thomas, Viviana Lily, and Isabella Gianna—via a C-section.

Due to the high risk of complications and the nature of carrying multiples, quintuplets are usually delivered by C-section and much earlier than the typical full-term of 39 to 40 weeks.

Theresa Troia, 36, from El Paso, Texas, reported to DailyMail.com that her quintuplets were conceived naturally with her former partner, without undergoing any fertility treatments.

Some of the complications involving multiple fetuses include miscarriage, premature birth, low birth weight, cerebral palsy and death. 

It also puts women at high risk of preeclampsia, a dangerous pregnancy complication characterized by high blood pressure and high levels of protein in the urine that indicate kidney damage.

Thankfully, Troia’s C-section went smoothly. 

Two of her babies – Isabella and Viviana – are identical twins who shared a placenta but were in separate amniotic sacs, a condition known as monochorionic-diamniotic or Mo-Di twins.

After their premature delivery, Troia’s babies were monitored in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Las Palmas Medical Center.

Two of her babies – Joseph and Viviana – remain there and are set to be discharged shortly, while the other three were given the all-clear to go home at around nine weeks old.  

Babies born at 28 weeks will typically spend time in a NICU due to their underdeveloped lungs, which can lead to breathing difficulties.

They also face risks of other complications like necrotizing enterocolitis – a serious gastrointestinal disease causing inflammation and damage to the intestine – and temperature regulation issues, requiring specialized care and monitoring.

Survival rates for infants born at 28 weeks gestation is between 80 to 90 percent and they only have a 10 percent chance of having long-term health problems. 

Troia delivered her quintuplets – Kyla Rose, Joseph Anthony, Jaxon Thomas, Viviana Lily, and Isabella Gianna – via C-section on June 3 when they were 28 weeks

The nurse consultant said the ‘wildest part’ of her multiple pregnancy was that she felt normal throughout. She revealed: ‘It was odd. I didn’t experience any cravings and there was no swelling or sickness’

Troia said the hardest part of having five children at the same time is finding enough time to tend to them all. 

The single mom told DailyMail.com: ‘There is never enough of me. Feedings are every three hours, but with five, by the time I finish feeding, burping, changing, and cleaning bottles, it’s time to start again.’

While her former partner is no longer in touch, Troia has plenty of friends and family members rallying around her to help. 

Having five newborns at once is also expensive. 

A can of baby formula would usually feed a baby for a week but Troia says she has been going through one a day. The average cost for a tin of baby formula is $20. 

Meanwhile, she is currently going through around 35 diapers a day, which she expects to increase to more than 50 when her other two babies are allowed home. 

‘As they grow, that number keeps climbing, and my grocery bills climb right along with it,’ the new mom revealed. 

While being a mom-of-five is exhausting and costly, Troia says she finds it deeply rewarding at the same time.

‘When I see their faces, I know this is exactly where I’m meant to be,’ she added.

She has been told by her OB-GYN she is one of the first documented cases of someone from such a high-order multiple family giving birth to her own set of high-order multiple babies. 

However, these types of occurrences are not tracked, but if your mother has had multiple births, you are more likely to experience yourself.

This is because the tendency for hyperovulation (releasing multiple eggs in a cycle), which is the main cause of multiple babies, can be inherited.

Growing up as one of four, Troia said she was used to sharing everything and never being alone and she maintains a great relationship with her siblings today. 

She has three brothers, Joseph Troia, Matthew Troia and Thomas Troia. 

When she was born, her birth as a quadruplet captured the attention of local newspapers and now Troia’s own quintuplet pregnancy has made headlines. 

She believes her multiple pregnancy is a sign from her mother, who passed away 10 years ago. 

The new mom has been told that she is one of the first documented cases of someone from a high-order multiple family giving birth to her own set of multiple babies

After their premature delivery, Troia’s babies were monitored in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for a number of weeks before getting the go ahead to go home

She told this website: ‘It feels like my mom – my first love, who I lost far too soon – gave them to me. 

‘Her legacy is alive in them. My quintuplets are my miracle, my history, and my heart.’

While having a C-section, Troia opted to have her fallopian tubes removed – a procedure known as a salpingectomy – to prevent future pregnancies and reduce the risk of ovarian cancer.

It involves removing both fallopian tubes, usually through the same incision made for the C-section.

While Troia expected the recovery to be ‘brutal’ she was amazed to find that her body healed well.

For other women expecting multiple births, Troia said her advice is to ‘let people help because having more than one baby at the same time really does take a village’.

She added: ‘My cousin is traveling from Florida to stay with me, my brother Joseph has stepped in, and my best friend has been incredible. 

‘They each love these babies as their own, and that love is what makes this “village” so special. 

‘We thought support would look one way, but slowly we’re learning it will be pieced together differently. And that’s okay. 

‘It doesn’t have to be perfect to be beautiful. Families don’t always look like the picture-perfect version society imagines. Mine doesn’t. But it’s mine, it’s ours, and it’s beautiful.’

Troia’s quintuplets were the first to be born at Las Palmas Medical Center.