Newbury Park Couple Get Bundle of Joy--Multiplied by 4

A Newbury Park couple have gotten what they most desired--and more--after becoming the proud parents of quadruplets Sunday afternoon.

The delivery of the four infants, one girl and three boys, at Los Robles Regional Hospital in Thousand Oaks is the first documented case of its kind in Ventura County, hospital officials said.

The mother, Tricia Kelly, and her husband, Ryan, both 35, had tried unsuccessfully for five years to conceive children before turning to in vitro fertilization, which resulted in the multiple births.

Thousand Oaks obstetrician Raymond Poliakin, who assisted in the birth of the quadruplets, said no problems or complications were encountered during the 1 1/2-hour caesarean section delivery.

“She said she feels like a great weight had been lifted off of her,” Dr. Poliakin said. The combined weight of the four infants was more than 20 pounds.

Poliakin said the robust health of the quadruplets was helped by the 35 weeks Kelly carried the four infants, allowing them time to develop in the womb.

“Thirty-five weeks is incredible,” Poliakin said, adding that the average gestation period for quadruplets is 31 weeks.

Under close observation after the births, Tricia Kelly appeared to be doing fine, hospital officials said.

“I don’t think she’s going to have any problems. She’ll do great,” Poliakin said.

A staff of 18 doctors, nurses and specialists assisted in the delivery, which Poliakin said is not unusual during multiple births.

“We were really very prepared,” Poliakin said. “They had every possible scenario set and ready to deal with in case we had a problem.”

Since the caesarean delivery was scheduled for Sunday instead of a weekday with typically heavier traffic, the staff was able to dedicate the hospital’s entire labor and delivery facility to the Kellys, Poliakin said.

First to be born, at 12:33 p.m., was a girl weighing 5 pounds, 14 ounces.

The three boys immediately followed, the first weighing 5 pounds, 5 ounces at 12:34 p.m.; the second weighing 5 pounds, 8.5 ounces at 12:35 p.m.; and the third weighing an even 4 pounds also at 12:35 p.m.

The names of the infants were not immediately available.