It all began during what should have been a routine prenatal appointment.
I was sitting in Dr. Hisham’s office, one hand resting on my swollen belly, while Mamdouh sat beside me. He tried to smile whenever I looked at him, but I could feel his nervousness.
Dr. Hisham had been examining the ultrasound screen for several minutes.
He zoomed in.
Then he moved the image.
He counted something quietly before starting again.
Finally, he leaned back in his chair.
“Doctor, is the baby all right?” I asked.
He looked at me with an expression I would never forget.
“The babies, Camelia.”
I blinked.
“What babies?”
He turned the screen toward us.
“I’m seeing seven.”
Seven.
The word seemed to hang in the air.
Mamdouh stared at the screen, then at me. I could tell that we were thinking the same thing.
How could one woman carry seven babies?
Dr. Hisham explained that the pregnancy was extremely complicated and would require close monitoring. He warned us about the risks, the possibility of premature delivery, and the need for specialized neonatal care.
