Canadian mother gives birth to quadruplets

OTTAWA (AFP) - A Canadian woman has given birth to a rare set of identical quadruplets at a hospital in Great Falls, Montana, beating odds of one in 13 million, health officials said yesterday.

The girls -- Autumn, Brooke, Calissa and Dahlia -- were born August 12 at the US neonatal center.

Their mother was moved to the nearby US facility because of overcrowding at Foothills Medical Centre in her hometown of Calgary, with the unexpected addition of three preterm babies at the facility days earlier.

Once she began experiencing symptoms of labor, she was hurried to the Benefis Hospital in Great Falls.

"The pregnancy has been an absolute roller-coaster of emotion for us and we're thrilled our girls are finally here and that all are well," said father J.P. Jepp in a statement.

"Karen and I are excited to welcome four healthy, beautiful girls into our family," he said.

The four girls were delivered between 2:31 and 2:35 p.m. (2031 to 2025 GMT) by caesarean at 31 weeks.

Dahlia is the smallest, weighing two pounds six ounces at birth.

Autumn is the largest and weighed two pounds 15 ounces.

All four babies are in "good condition" and are breathing without ventilators, doctors said.

The Jepps also have a two-year-old son, Simon.