Racheal Obinna, a realtor and content creator in Asaba, speaks to TEMITOPE ADETUNJI about her journey through recurrent miscarriages, the loss of her twins, a second IVF attempt and the birth of her quadruplets
Congratulations on the birth of your quadruplets. What was your journey to motherhood like before their arrival?
It has not been easy. My first child is 11 years old, and after her birth, I spent several years trying to have another child. During that period, I experienced numerous miscarriages. Sometimes, I would miscarry one month and become pregnant again the following month. It became almost a regular occurrence.
Getting a positive pregnancy test no longer excited me because I had become accustomed to losing pregnancies. I sometimes hesitated to tell my husband whenever I discovered I was pregnant because I did not want to raise our hopes only to experience another loss.
After experiencing several losses, I suggested to my husband in 2023 that we should try in-vitro fertilisation. Initially, he felt IVF was meant for women who could not conceive naturally, whereas I could get pregnant. However, I insisted because I wanted to understand what was happening.
One frustrating aspect was that whenever I visited the hospital, doctors would tell me there was nothing wrong with me. Sometimes, I wished they would identify a problem so we could treat it instead of continuing to wonder why I kept losing pregnancies.
How did your first IVF attempt go?
We eventually proceeded with our first IVF treatment in 2023. I tested positive after the waiting period but unfortunately lost the pregnancy barely a week later. IVF is physically, emotionally and financially draining, so experiencing another loss was particularly painful.
My husband encouraged me, saying I had tried my best and that we should remain hopeful. He also felt my body had gone through enough, considering the hospital visits, hormonal medications and other treatments I had undergone.
You subsequently conceived twins naturally in 2024. What happened during the pregnancy and delivery?
After that miscarriage, I became pregnant naturally with twins in 2024. The pregnancy progressed smoothly, and I carried them for months before delivering naturally.
Initially, both babies appeared fine. However, on the day of delivery, the boy developed complications. I noticed that his feet were turning blue and that he was not breathing properly. I alerted my husband because I knew something was wrong.
The medical team placed him on oxygen and tried everything possible to stabilise him, but unfortunately, he did not survive that day.
The doctors suggested taking the girl home because she appeared healthy. They examined her, confirmed she was fine, and we left the hospital. However, by the fifth day, we noticed something was wrong. She cried constantly, and on the sixth day, we rushed her to the hospital, where she died that same day.
Losing both children within six days was devastating. Some people wanted to visit, but I declined because I did not want visitors. I also discovered that people close to me were gossiping about my experience. One was a neighbour who had consoled me after we lost the twins but later made unpleasant comments about me.
It was particularly painful because I had spent years trying to have another child. Some people had already lost hope in me, believing I would never have another child. Nevertheless, I refused to give up.
What made you decide to try for another pregnancy despite the loss of your twins?
In March 2025, I told my husband I wanted to try again. Although he was reluctant because I had recently lost the twins, I wanted to explore other options. My doctor suggested intrauterine insemination, which I underwent twice, but both attempts ended in pregnancy loss.
We eventually decided to try IVF again. I started the process in November 2025, and my embryo transfer was carried out on November 28. I tested positive on December 1, just three days later. It was a four-day embryo, and although I was advised to wait 14 days before testing, I could not contain my excitement.
At the first scan, we discovered I was carrying quadruplets. I continued praying and handed everything over to God, telling Him the pregnancy was in His hands and that He had to see me through because I could not endure another loss.
Thankfully, the pregnancy progressed smoothly without high blood pressure or any major medical complications. I carried the quadruplets until 35 weeks and one day before delivering them successfully.
What sustained you emotionally through the numerous miscarriages and the loss of your twins?
First, God and the Holy Spirit. Secondly, my husband. Thirdly, my daughter.
My daughter was also affected by what happened. She once had a painful experience while playing with a friend who had a twin sister. When she tried to correct one of the girls, the other told her to go and get her own sister before correcting them. My daughter was deeply hurt and cried.
When we lost the twins, she became depressed because she had been excited about finally having siblings. She looked forward to having a brother and sister, and losing them affected her emotionally.
That experience made me even more determined. I strongly believed I would become a mother again. I did not know when it would happen, but I believed it would.
My faith in God sustained me. Some people compared my experience to the biblical story of Job because of the many challenges I faced, but I continued to hold on to my faith.
Having experienced multiple pregnancy losses, how did you cope with the anxiety of discovering you were pregnant again?
Whenever I discovered I was pregnant, I believed the pregnancy would eventually result in a child. I did not want fear to take over my mind.
Even when I experienced miscarriages, I believed God had a reason for everything and could use my experience as a testimony to encourage others.
Being a woman experiencing infertility or recurrent pregnancy loss is not easy. Sometimes, you question yourself and wonder why other women are having children while your experience is different. It can also affect your relationship because trying to conceive sometimes makes intimacy feel like an obligation.
I believe having the right partner makes a significant difference. My husband and I sometimes laugh about our challenges rather than allowing our circumstances to destroy our happiness.
As a content creator, you documented parts of your pregnancy journey on TikTok. What inspired you to go public?
I wanted women trying to conceive to know they could also have their testimonies, regardless of how long they had waited. The waiting period could be 20, 15, seven or eight years. However, when the testimony eventually comes, it may feel as though the waiting happened only yesterday.
I wanted women to remain hopeful and understand that their stories could still change.
You mentioned being mocked and receiving hurtful comments while waiting to conceive. What were some of those experiences?
I experienced mockery even in church. At some point, people called me a witch in the name of prophecy. Some told my husband I was the problem, while others suggested my grandmother had placed a curse on me. They approached me with prophecies and told me to perform certain things.
There was also a woman in my former neighbourhood who had two children and was pregnant with her third. Whenever she saw me, she deliberately drew attention to her pregnancy, holding her waist and complaining about how much it disturbed her. Sometimes, she would affectionately call her husband, seemingly to make me feel bad.
I experienced many situations like that, but I usually responded with a smile. I would tell myself they were not mocking me but God.
I decided to share my story because I know many women are going through similar experiences. I want them to know they are not alone and can still have reasons to smile.
What kept your marriage strong through the challenges you faced?
Understanding, love and communication. Those three things kept us going. My husband is not just my husband; he is also my friend. I can stay at home for months without feeling the need to go out or look for friends. We share a very close bond.
He does not wait until he gets home before discussing important matters with me. Even when he is going out, he calls, and we continue talking. Sometimes, we are still on the phone when he arrives home and continue the conversation after he comes inside.
My husband is my friend, brother, father and spiritual support. He is truly a blessing to me. Love, understanding and communication have been the foundation of our marriage.
What has adjusting to life as a mother of four been like?
Caring for four babies is not easy. Imagine having two of them crying at the same time.
My husband has been extremely supportive and is the first person I turn to whenever I need help.
After delivery, I wanted the babies to stay in our room because I wanted to bond with them and personally attend to their needs. I had spent many years trying to have another child, so when they finally arrived, I became somewhat possessive.
Even when people encouraged me to rest, I preferred staying with the babies. I felt more comfortable leaving them with my husband because I trusted him and knew they were safe.
Sometimes, I would fall asleep at night, and he would take care of all four babies. I have also insisted that I do not want a nanny for now because I want to take care of my children myself.
Raising four babies comes with significant financial demands, especially given the current economic climate. How have you been coping?
It is not easy because their needs are enormous. Imagine buying diapers for four children, not to mention feeding them. They can finish one tin of baby formula in two days, and there are six tins in a carton.
We spent about N5.6m at the private hospital where I delivered before we were discharged.
Have you considered seeking financial assistance from the government, individuals or organisations?
Some people have asked why we have not involved the government or sought assistance because we welcomed quadruplets. We have tried reaching out to people who might be able to assist us.
Sometimes, I tell my husband I do not want our children to become a burden to anyone. I believe God will provide for us.
I told him that if God wants the government to notice these children and support them, He will make it happen. I do not want to keep worrying about things beyond my control. I would rather concentrate on what we are doing, trust God to bless the work of our hands and take things one day at a time.
I never planned to have four children at once. I was simply asking God for another child. I had experienced several losses and wanted Him to restore what I had lost. However, He gave us four babies, and I believe that since He brought them into our lives, He will also help to take care of them.
How did your daughter react when she eventually met her younger siblings?
She cried. She was very emotional, and the video of her reaction went viral on TikTok. It has garnered almost 33.2 million views and remains the most-viewed video on my page.
Before delivery, I told her I was going to attend a party at a friend’s house. I bought clothes for her and my adopted daughter and explained that I would not be sleeping at home that night.
I deliberately kept the delivery from her because I wanted to surprise her. On July 4, which was also my husband’s birthday, I told her I would wait until his birthday before returning home.
After everything had been sorted out at the hospital, my husband went to pick her up. She had no idea I was there. He simply told her they needed to stop somewhere because one of her mother’s friends was around and he wanted to give the person something.
When she arrived and saw me with the babies, she was overwhelmed with emotion. Her reaction was captured in the video that eventually went viral. I have pinned it to my TikTok page.
Based on your experience, what words of encouragement would you offer women struggling with infertility or facing recurring pregnancy losses?
They should not give up. They should remain steadfast, keep trying and refuse to become discouraged.
I encourage them to remain grateful and hopeful about the children they are trusting God to give them. They should see themselves as mothers already and believe God is preparing something for them.
When I lost my twins, I sometimes encouraged myself by thinking that perhaps God had a reason for allowing what happened. I considered that if they had survived, I might have faced other challenges, perhaps moving from one hospital to another. I deliberately tried to view my experience from a different perspective rather than focus only on its painful side.
Sometimes, we concentrate so much on what God has not done that we forget the many things He has already done for us.
For instance, someone may complain that God has not given them money, but when the money eventually comes, will they remember to thank Him? Meanwhile, God has continued to give them the breath of life freely. Some people have to pay for oxygen in hospitals.
There are so many things we take for granted that are actually blessings.
Women experiencing infertility or recurrent pregnancy should remain hopeful, stand firm in their faith, and appreciate the blessings they already have while trusting God for what they desire.
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