Surviving sextuplets fight for life after brother dies

Five surviving sextuplets born last week were fighting for their lives tonight after the death of their brother.

Four girls and two boys were born to Andy and Vicky Lamb, both 31, at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, England last Friday.

The tiny babies, who each weighed under 2lb when they were born 14 weeks early, have been in a critical condition ever since. One of the boys died this morning.

Mr and Mrs Lamb, who have an older daughter, have named each of the babies but said they wished to keep the names private.

Family spokesman Max Clifford said: “They’re all fighting for survival. We’re taking every second, every minute, every hour as it comes.

“They’re with the best people and in the best place. Andy and Vicky are so upset about losing one of the little boys and are hoping and praying the others will be okay.”

He said he believed the boy who died was one of the smallest of the sextuplets.

Mrs Lamb had taken Clomid, which stimulates ovulation, before falling pregnant with the sextuplets. She had also taken it before first child Gracie, five, was conceived.

The Lambs thanked well-wishers who have inundated them with cards and messages of support, Mr Clifford added.

Gracie has been with her parents at the hospital “virtually all the time”, he said.

The babies’ parents were said earlier today to have been hoping for a “small miracle” as the sextuplets fought for their lives. Their birth weights ranged from 1lb 5oz (590g) to 1lb 15oz (885g).

They have thanked the medics keeping the babies alive, with Mr Clifford saying on their behalf: “They are just incredibly grateful for the John Radcliffe Hospital, the doctors and the nurses.”

Talking about when the couple might be able to take the babies home, Mr Clifford said: “It is a long way off. They are fighting for their lives, they are still critical.”

Live births of sextuplets are rare, occurring approximately once in every 4.5 million pregnancies.

According to the Multiple Births Foundation charity, the last surviving set of sextuplets in Britain were born in 1993.

The latest set were delivered by a large team of doctors and nurses following several weeks of planning.

Kenny McCormick, consultant neonatologist at the hospital, said: “The next few days and weeks will be critical. Babies that are born this early need a lot of specialist care.

“They are receiving round-the-clock intensive care and specialist nursing at the moment and their condition is constantly monitored.”