Missouri NICU caring for 12 sets of twins at once, breaking hospital record

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Families at a hospital in Kansas City were counting their blessings over the Thanksgiving holiday after welcoming 12 sets of twins into the world — all being cared for in the same neonatal intensive care unit.

Saint Luke’s Hospital’s Level III NICU was caring for all 24 babies, believed to be the most twins at one time in the hospital’s history.

All of the twins were born approximately five to 14 weeks prematurely, the hospital said. Many of the families come from Kansas City and as far away as Emporia, Kansas — located more than 100 miles away from the hospital.

All of the twins were born approximately five to 14 weeks prematurely and are being cared for at Saint Luke’s Hospital’s Level III NICU. (Photo credit: Helen Ransom / Faces You Love photography)

Helen Ransom, owner of Faces You Love photography and a former NICU mom of triplets at the hospital, donated her time to capture photographs of the families to help them document their stay in the NICU.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, twin births declined 4 percent between 2014 and 2018.

About 32 twins were born per 1,000 births in 2018.

This story was reported from Cincinnati.