After Losing Four Children, I Gave Birth to Naturally Conceived Identical Quadruplets — and Became a Mom of Six
After years marked by unimaginable loss, Karissa Vancamp-Smith never thought her journey to motherhood would lead her to one of the rarest births imaginable. Today, the 34-year-old mother from Phelps, New York, is raising six sons — including identical quadruplets conceived naturally after she had already lost four babies.
Karissa and her husband, Dillon Smith, 32, found out they were expecting again in December 2021. Given their painful history — a miscarriage, a stillbirth, and two infant deaths — they approached the pregnancy with both hope and fear.
At a private scan just six weeks in, the couple received news that left them stunned.
“One baby appeared… then another… then another… and finally a fourth,” Karissa recalled. “We were completely speechless.”
At that point, they knew they were expecting quadruplets — but it wasn’t until the babies were born prematurely that doctors confirmed something even rarer: all four were identical.
A Joyful Pregnancy Shadowed by the Past
Despite her history, Karissa said the pregnancy itself went smoothly — until late complications arose.
“I actually felt great throughout most of it,” said Karissa, a pediatric nurse. “But after developing preeclampsia, doctors decided it was safest to deliver early.”
At 29 weeks and three days, Karissa underwent a cesarean section on June 17, 2022, at Strong Memorial Hospital. The boys — Zackariah Dever, Lincoln Jesse, Ian Shane, and Daniel Robert — arrived within minutes of each other, weighing between 2 and 3 pounds.
All four were taken straight to neonatal care but progressed well. After seven weeks in hospital, the family was finally able to bring them home.
A Long Road Through Grief
Karissa and Dillon’s path to parenthood began more than a decade ago — and was marked early by tragedy.
In July 2014, Karissa went into preterm labor at just 20 weeks while pregnant with twin boys, Lucas and Ryan. Lucas was stillborn, and Ryan survived only minutes after birth.
“It broke us,” Karissa said. “We held a private funeral and planted memorial trees in our garden. We needed time to grieve.”
Four months later, Karissa became pregnant again — and this time, the outcome was joyful. Their son Tyler was born healthy in May 2015. Now eight years old, he remains a symbol of hope after loss.
But tragedy struck again in 2017, when Karissa conceived twins Elijah and Colton. At just over 23 weeks, she went into silent preterm labor and required an emergency cesarean.
Elijah passed away 12 days later after developing a severe lung infection. Colton survived but spent more than four months in hospital and was later diagnosed with cerebral palsy.
“The first year of his life was terrifying,” Karissa said. “His immune system was so weak, we were constantly in and out of the hospital. But he’s our little warrior.”
Following that pregnancy, doctors discovered Karissa had an incompetent cervix — a condition that can cause premature birth — and she underwent surgery to prevent it happening again.
Still, in August 2019, Karissa experienced yet another loss when her daughter, Willa Grace, died at 14 weeks.
“At that point, I had lost four babies,” she said. “I didn’t know if I could survive that kind of pain again.”
A Miracle Beyond Expectation
After taking time to heal, Karissa felt ready to try once more in late 2021. When she became pregnant, she monitored every symptom closely, refusing to take any risks.
“I made sure every ache, every pain, was checked,” she said. “I wasn’t willing to ignore anything.”
When doctors later noticed that all four babies shared a single placenta — and looked nearly identical — the truth became clear: the quadruplets were identical, a phenomenon so rare that many obstetricians never witness it in their careers.
Life With Six Sons
Today, Karissa and Dillon are preparing to celebrate the quadruplets’ second birthday. Life is loud, busy, and exhausting — but filled with joy.
“I had to give up full-time work, and sleep is a luxury,” Karissa laughed. “The house is nonstop noise, the laundry never ends, and every boy has his own strong personality.”
Despite their similarities, the quadruplets are already developing distinct traits. Their older brothers, Tyler and Colton, adore their younger siblings and take pride in their roles as big brothers.
The family continues to honor the children they lost — Lucas, Ryan, Elijah, and Willa Grace — through memorial trees planted at home.
“I’ll always carry the grief of losing four babies,” Karissa said. “But I’m also incredibly grateful. I’m a mother to six beautiful boys, and that’s something I once thought would never happen.”
