Mercedes and Jonathan Sandhu of Texas have defied astronomical odds by welcoming four identical girls into the world on May 1st. The chances of having identical quadruplets are estimated at a staggering one in 15 million, making this arrival an extraordinary occurrence.

Hannah Grace, Lucy Marie, Rebecca Claire, and Petra Anne were delivered prematurely via cesarean section at just 29 weeks gestation. Despite their early arrival, these tiny miracles are fighters. The smallest, Petra, weighed a mere 2 pounds, 7 ounces, while Hannah, the largest, came in at 2 pounds, 13 ounces.

Mercedes, 34, and Jonathan, 37, both engineers by profession, were taken by surprise by the news of quadruplets during Mercedes’s third pregnancy. “So we weren’t trying by any means, but we were excited,” Mercedes shared with TODAY.com. “But when we found out there were four… Holy moly!”

Indeed, the journey to parenthood for these parents of Luke, 3, and Aaron, 18 months, took an unexpected turn. “I told my husband that the babies are my five-year gift to him,” Mercedes humorously remarked, noting their upcoming wedding anniversary on May 18th.

The rarity of spontaneous identical quadruplets adds to the remarkable nature of this story, with approximately 72 documented cases in medical history. Despite the challenges posed by a high-risk pregnancy, Mercedes and Jonathan remained resilient, focusing on the positive aspects of their journey.

Their optimism paid off when Hannah, Lucy, Rebecca, and Petra made their grand entrance into the world. Although currently in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Texas Children’s Hospital, all four girls are receiving the necessary care and attention. Doctors anticipate their homecoming by July, marking the beginning of a new chapter for the Sandhu family.

Credit: NBC News