NASSIRIYA, Iraq: A woman has given birth to rare sextuplets in southern Iraq, however two of them died due to lack of proper equipment to keep them alive, her doctor said on Saturday

"Two of the children died because of problems breathing," said Dr Ali al-Jabiri, in charge of premature infants at Al-Habboubi Hospital in the southern Iraqi city of Nassiriya. "If we had suitable medical equipment then we could have saved them," he added

Some Iraqi media described it as the first birth of sextuplets -- six children born at once -- in the country, although this could not be verified.

"The problem is, how can I take care of them? How to feed them?," said their mother, Ibtisam Najim Abid, at the hospital.

The babies all weighed between 700 and 1,200 grams (24-44 ounces). Two boys and two girls survived.

Their mother had used fertility drugs. Although, sextuplet births are extremely rare, fertility treatments have increased the frequency of multiple births.

Source : Reuters