While the chances of giving birth to twins increased 72 percent between 1980 and 2018, it’s still pretty rare. About 33 out of every 1,000 births are twins.
And what are the chances of identical twins? Approximately every three or four births out of every 1,000 are identical twins. So again, relatively rare.
When 23-year-old Savannah Combs found out she was pregnant with twins, she was thrilled. And then she learned another rarity, they both had Down syndrome.
Of course, it was emotional news. Savannah and her husband, Justin Ackerman, knew that some people would judge her and her babies because of their condition.
But to Savannah, that’s what makes them incredibly precious.
“It’s very rare what they have, but they’ve been my little gems,” she told News4JAX.
Savannah, who is from Middleburg, Florida, shared her post-pregnancy journey with her daughters Kennadi Rue and Mckenli Ackerman, on TikTok where they quickly gained a following.
In one of her videos, Savannah said she was told to abort her babies because they would not make it.
She decided to keep them and give them a fighting chance.
”Every [prenatal] appointment they were alive was a blessing to me,” Savannah explained.
When she learned they both had Down syndrome, her husband was away at boot camp.
Savannah was 29 weeks pregnant when she was admitted to the hospital, and delivered her daughters. The identical twin girls, Kennadi Rue and Mckenli Ackerman, were born on May 12, 2021.
The twins arrived two months before their due date, so they had to spend several weeks in the NICU before they came home.
They’re called mono di twins, meaning that they had their own sacs, but they shared the same placenta, meaning that they were going to be identical,” she said.
“Mo di twins as it is, it’s like very rare. And then you throw Down syndrome on top of it, it’s like one in 2 million.”
Despite their rare condition, Savannah said they are just like any other child.
“They have feelings. They have a beating heart. They know how to talk. They know how to do things you do. They will get there,” she said.
“Like I said, it may be a step behind but they’re going to do it. I’ve learned these kids are feisty little things and happy little things.”
Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos’ son Michael turns 27 years old and people can’t believe what he looks like
The video was set to Curtis Mayfield’s “Move On Up,” as images of Michael from the day he was born to now began to play. The video had a series of moments from his life with other important people like his parents and grandparents.
Michael’s younger siblings were also featured in the video in later pictures, both Lola, 22, and Joaquin, 21.
Ripa and Consuelos married in 1996. The couples’ friends, family, and fans all chimed in under the post to congratulate them on their son’s birthday.
“I love this. Happy Birthday Mikey!,” Andy Cohen commented.
“The sweetest,” Nia Long added.
Whenever either parent shares a picture of Michael, their fans comment about how Michael looks exactly like his father, Mark Consuelos. “Wow! Michael is the spitting image of younger Mark,” one person wrote.
“Beautiful OMG Michael is a spitting image of his Dad,” another person added.
“OMG your son and husband are identical twins,” a fan couldn’t believe!
Michael has also followed his parent’s path and has begun working in the entertainment industry. He acted in Riverdale alongside his dad and is a producer on several shows, including the Real Housewives franchise, Summer House, and Winter House.
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