UK Women Gives Birth to Identical Triplets

A UK women gave birth to three identical triplets -- an extremely rare event caused when a single fertilized egg divides into three embryos.

"We kept their hospital bands on for as long as they could but they grew out of them, so Ian had to buy more on eBay and we're still using them," Karen Gilbert told the BBC regarding trying to tell the threesome apart. "They're that identical, it's scary. But their own personalities are starting to show."

According to Jane Denton, director of the Multiple Births Foundation, the odds of having identical triplets are about 160,000 to one.

Leading up to the birth, the couple were offered the chance to terminate the pregnancy or reduce the number of babies.

"There was the chance of twin to twin syndrome, where one baby can starve the other two babies of food and other fluids," Karen explained.

The couple declined, however, saying "we just couldn't do it."

"They all grew and fought so quickly it was practically ripping Karen's muscles apart," Ian told the Daily Mail. "But we couldn't consider termination -- they were our babies. We were scanned every week to make sure they were growing fine."

The girls -- Ffion, Maddison and Paige -- were born on Aug. 2 at 30 weeks, each weighing less than four pounds. Despite being in good health, doctors waited six weeks before sending them home where the couple are caring for them along their three-year-old daughter.

In all, the family goes through roughly 40 diapers a day.

"Thankfully, we have been given six months of formula milk on prescription from the hospital and friends have been brilliant giving us things like car seats and bin bags full of clothes," Karen told the BBC. "Saying that, I know things will get more demanding and expensive, such as having to buy all their school uniforms and shoes."

To see pictures of the family, click here.