Autopsy: What killed mother of quintuplets Evaline Namukhula

An autopsy report has revealed that Evaline Namukhula, the woman gave birth to five babies in Kakamega County, died of pregnancy complications.

According to Dr. Benson Macharia, a pathologist at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, she succumbed to weakness of the heart muscles.

The condition is known as peripartum cardiomyopathy.

“It begins sometime during the final month of pregnancy through about five months after delivery, without any other known cause. Most commonly, it occurs right after delivery. It is a rare condition that can carry mild or severe symptoms,” the John Hopkins Medicine website says.

Dr. Macharia also added that though the condition occurs to all mothers and is not always fatal, her case was exceptional since she had multiple births.

“There were no blood clots as earlier reported,” he said adding that, “examination showed a lot of fluid was in her lungs around the heart and also her heart was slightly swollen.”

Hospital Chief Executive Officer Wilson Arwasa also reiterated that such cases resulting in the death of a patient are very rare.

Two of the 5 children that the deceased gave birth also died last week.

The cause of the death is yet to be established though reports indicate that the babies had also been very sickly and had been admitted to the ICU.