Sophie Small, an exceptionally fertile mother, was filled with joy when she discovered she was pregnant again while already carrying a baby—a rare occurrence known as superfetation, where a second pregnancy takes place after the first.
Sophie, along with her husband Jonathan, who works as an accountant, had been hoping to expand their family. Even though the 30-year-old had a suspicion of her pregnancy, they continued trying. To their delight, a positive pregnancy test confirmed her intuition.
However, severe morning sickness led Sophie to be hospitalized seven times. During a seven-week scan, the couple received the surprise news that Sophie was pregnant with twins. The twins, named Holly and Darcy, appeared to be developing at different stages, leaving doctors perplexed until they realized Sophie had ovulated twice, told NY Post.
It was only after the twins’ birth in August 2020, with Darcy weighing 4lbs 2oz and her sister following two minutes later at 6lbs 1oz, that the couple discovered the two tots had been conceived a month apart. “We were carrying two babies who were growing at different stages, but we didn’t know that,” explained Sophie, who resides in Herefordshire, England.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, The discrepancy in their growth puzzled medical professionals throughout the pregnancy, as Sophie experienced extreme sickness. The twins had their own separate sacs and placentas, allowing them to feed independently.
“There was a 35 percent growth difference between the two of them when they were born, which is significant, and the staff realized they had been conceived four weeks apart,” Sophie shared. “Darcy was a 32-week baby, and Holly was a 36-week baby. I couldn’t believe it; I had never heard of such a thing. I didn’t know how it happened.”
Although Holly and Darcy are twins, their distinct personalities and physical differences make them stand out. Holly, the “girly girl,” still outweighs her tomboy sister Darcy by 6 lbs. Sophie enjoys confounding strangers who stop to inquire about the age gap between the girls. Many find it hard to believe that they are twins.
“I tell them Darcy is two minutes older and four weeks younger, while Holly was born two minutes later but is four weeks older,” Sophie shared. “They don’t even look like sisters; you wouldn’t even know. Holly has blonde hair, big beautiful blue eyes, and aspires to be a princess or a jockey. Darcy, with her mousey brown hair, is a tomboy who dreams of becoming a train driver. They have started nursery school and are thriving with confidence. It was a challenging journey, but they are absolutely flourishing.”
