South Fla. parents welcome rare set of quadruplets

Naturally conceived quadruplets happen in just 1 in 700,000 pregnancies

(Facebook / Ivanna Cardenas Gutierrez)

MIAMI – And babies make six.

First-time parents from South Florida received the shock of their lives when they found out they were expecting quadruplets.

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What made it even more shocking was the way in which they were conceived.

Naturally conceived quadruplets are an extremely rare occurrence that happens in just 1 in 700,000 pregnancies.

"The doctor said we were having twins -- and I was shocked," said father David Gutierrez. "Then he said there were three babies. Two minutes later, he said there was a fourth. I was speechless."

David and Ivanna Cardenas Gutierrez learned they were going to be expecting back in February, but when Ivanna went in for her 27-week check-up, tests revealed that one of the babies was not getting enough nutrients and was at risk of dyring.

Doctors at Jackson Memorial Hospital decided to deliver all of the babies on the same day, August 18, 2014, three months before the November due date.

The three boys and one girl -- Julian, Sebastian, Gabriel and Francesca -- weighed anywhere from 1 pound, 3 ounces to 2 pounds, 3 ounces.

Since their birth, all the babies have been under the constant care of neonatologists at the Holtz Children's Hospital.

The good news is that Francesca, the only girl, is expected to be released from the hospital within the week.

"There have been a lot of ups and downs, but we have gotten through it," said Ivanna. "We know how blessed we are."