A woman in northwestern China, identified only by her surname Li, has given birth to twins under extraordinary circumstances—one from each of her two uteruses.
The rare case, which occurred last month at Xi’an People’s Hospital in Shaanxi province, has captured widespread attention, with health officials and Chinese media describing the event as a “one in a million” phenomenon.
Li’s condition, known as uterine didelphys, is an uncommon congenital abnormality where a woman is born with two uteruses and two cervixes.
According to experts, this affects only about 1 in 2,000 women. The chances of conceiving twins naturally, each in a separate womb, are exceptionally rare, and the likelihood of carrying both babies to term is even more unusual.
The hospital emphasized this in their statement on Weibo, a popular social media platform in China, calling it a highly remarkable occurrence.
“It is extremely rare for twins to be conceived naturally in each cavity of the uterus, and even rarer for them to be carried to term,” the hospital explained in a post dated September 18.
The twins, a boy and a girl, were delivered via caesarean section, with the baby boy weighing 7 pounds, 19 ounces and the baby girl 5 pounds, 30 ounces.
Their healthy arrival is especially meaningful given that Li had experienced a miscarriage in a previous pregnancy. She discovered she was pregnant again in January during a routine ultrasound, which revealed she was not only expecting but expecting twins, one developing in each uterus.
Doctors kept her under close medical supervision throughout her pregnancy to ensure the safety of both mother and babies.
After months of careful monitoring, the hospital celebrated her successful delivery, noting the unusual nature of her pregnancy and the healthy outcome.
Li’s story quickly gained traction on Chinese social media, with over 50 million views in recent days. Messages of awe and admiration flooded the internet.
“That’s a miracle!” wrote one user, while another expressed concern for her, noting, “this must have been tough and dangerous for her!” Others simply marveled at her luck and strength.
This rare and miraculous case has not only captured public fascination but also shone a light on the extraordinary possibilities within maternal medicine, as Li’s successful pregnancy and delivery offer hope and inspiration to many.
