Jerusalem, 16 July, 2025 (TPS-IL) — Israel’s Ziv Medical Center in Safed marked the rare and complex delivery of two sets of triplets within five hours of each other, the hospital announced on Tuesday. The remarkable feat involving multiple departments and dozens of staff was lauded by Ziv as an “internationally unique” event.
“This day is a wonderful example of the professional and human strength of Ziv Medical Center,” said Prof. Salman Zarka, the hospital’s director. “Teams that work 24/7 out of a mission and love for patients, for the health of the north. I am proud of the entire team… for their preparation, dedication and excellence.”
Both deliveries were performed via cesarean section by specialized teams in the hospital’s delivery rooms. The first, a planned procedure at 34 weeks, resulted in the birth of two boys and a girl. Just hours later, an emergency C-section at only 26 weeks brought another set of triplets — again, two boys and a girl — into the world due to signs of premature labor.
The two mothers — one from Kibbutz Mahanaim in the Upper Galilee, the other from the Bedouin town of Tuba-Zangariyye — are recovering side by side in the postpartum unit, while all six babies remain under observation in the neonatal intensive care unit.
Each procedure demanded rapid coordination between obstetricians, anesthesiologists, operating room nurses, and neonatal specialists. Dr. Ronan Said and Dr. Rim Yassin performed the first surgery, while Dr. Ragda Zidan-Zuid and Dr. Svetlana Gendler led the emergency operation.
“Triplet births are always challenging and exciting, but it is important to emphasize that from a medical perspective, this is a very high-risk pregnancy,” explained Dr. Inbar Ben Shahar, Ziv’s Director of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. “The birth of two triplets at an early week, including at 26 weeks with extreme prematurity, illustrates the complexity and risk of these pregnancies.”
The neonatal department was prepared in advance to receive the infants. “The arrival of triplets to the neonatal intensive care unit requires special organization — three incubators, three doctors, three nurses, three times the amount,” said Prof. Eric Shinville, head of the unit. “But in Ziv, we are prepared for this. The babies are in good condition, need close supervision and are in the best hands.”
For midwife Adi Apota, the experience was unforgettable. “The birth of triplets is always an exciting event, and two in one day — it has never happened here before! Hearing the babies cry together is a tremendous experience.”
Delivering triplets carries significant risks for both mother and babies. Nearly all triplets are born prematurely, often before 32 weeks, leading to low birth weight, breathing issues, and extended stays in neonatal intensive care. Mothers face higher chances of preterm labor, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, and postpartum hemorrhage. Most triplets are delivered by C-section due to positioning and delivery risks.
Ziv, the only general hospital in the eastern Upper Galilee region, serves a diverse population across northern Israel, including Jewish, Arab, Christian, Druze and Circassian communities.
