Although the chances of giving birth to twins increased by 72 per cent between 1980 and 2018, it’s still quite rare. Approximately 33 out of every 1,000 births are twins.
What’s the likelihood of having identical twins? Approximately every three or four births out of every 1,000 are identical twins. That is, again, relatively rare.
When 23-year-old Savannah Combs found out she was pregnant with twins, she was thrilled. And then she found out another rarity – they both have Down syndrome.
Of course, it was emotional news. Savannah and her husband Justin Ackerman knew some people would judge her and her children because of their condition.
But to Savannah, that’s what makes them incredibly precious.
‘It’s very rare, but they’ve become my little gems,’ she told News4JAX.
Savannah, from Middleburg, Florida, along with her daughters Kennady Rue and Mackenley Ackerman, shared their post-pregnancy journey on TikTok, where they quickly gained popularity.
In one of her videos, Savannah revealed that she was advised to have an abortion because they wouldn’t survive.
She decided to keep them and give them a chance to survive. ‘Every prenatal visit when they were alive was a blessing to me,’ Savannah explains.
When she found out they both had Down syndrome, her husband was in a military camp. Savannah was 29 weeks pregnant when she was admitted to the hospital and gave birth to her daughters. Identical twin girls, Kennadi Roux and Mackenley Ackerman, were born on 12 May 2021.
The twins were born two months premature, so they had to spend several weeks in the NICU before they came home.
‘They were called mono-di twins, meaning they had their own sacs but they shared a placenta, which means they had to be identical,’ she said.
‘Mono-di twins, as it goes, are very rare. And if you add Down syndrome to that, it’s generally one in two million.’
Despite the rare condition, Savannah says they’re kids just like any other.
‘They have feelings. They have a beating heart. They know how to talk. They know how to do what you do. They will get there,’ she explained. ‘Like I said, they may be one step behind, but they’re going to make it. I’ve learnt that these children are restless and happy beings.’
As each of the children continue to go through their developmental milestones, Savannah shares their delightful news on TikTok.
‘I want them to know that they are just like us and will get where they are if they just put in the effort.’
Nevertheless, some people feel the need to criticise Savannah and her family. As a result, the young mum had to respond to some very insensitive users on social media.
‘I wouldn’t want kids like this; if mine were born like this they would be adopted immediately,’ one person wrote to the mother.
But Savannah had the perfect response, which she shared on Facebook.
‘I said, ‘It’s a good thing they weren’t born to you but to me.’ God knew what he was doing, giving these babies to the right parents who will love them regardless.’
Beautiful girls. Anyone who says otherwise is just mean. These people are the most precious and loving people in the world!
