Pregnant women and their partners at a childbirth class. Photos: CFP and IC

A woman pregnant with nine babies in East China's Jiangxi Province decided to reduce seven embryos and keep two for her safety and the well-being of the two remaining babies.

A 25-year-old woman surnamed Hou had struggled to conceive for medical reasons, but conceived in October after receiving ovulation-boosting treatment.

The initial examination showed that Hou was pregnant with triplets. However, a follow-up examination revealed nine embryos tightly clustered in her uterine cavity, all with detectable heartbeats.

Hou's husband said in a video clip that, considering his wife's limited physical capacity, the doctor recommended reducing the number of embryos. In addition, he said they also considered the children's future growth and financial factors, so they decided to have surgeries to remove seven fetuses.

Hou may require multiple surgeries due to the high number of embryos and associated risks, a challenge for the doctors as well, Hou's husband noted.

According to Hou, the reduction procedures will be conducted in two phases. Four embryos will be removed for the first time, and the second procedure, reducing three embryos, will be performed pending favorable follow-up test results.

Global Times