The probability of giving birth to twins has increased by 72 percent between 1980 and 2018, although it is still relatively uncommon, with only around 33 out of every 1,000 births resulting in twins.
In terms of identical twins, the odds are even lower, occurring approximately every three or four births out of every 1,000, making them quite rare.
Despite the rarity of identical twins, 23-year-old Savannah Combs was ecstatic to learn she was pregnant with not one, but two babies. However, she soon discovered another rarity – both her babies had Down syndrome.
Although the news was emotional, Savannah and her husband Justin Ackerman knew that their babies would be incredibly precious to them, regardless of any judgments or criticisms they may receive from others.
Savannah, who hails from Middleburg, Florida, shared her post-pregnancy journey with her twin daughters, Kennadi Rue and Mckenli Ackerman, on TikTok, where they quickly garnered a following. In one of her videos, Savannah revealed that she was advised to abort her babies due to their likelihood of not surviving, but she chose to keep them and give them a fighting chance.
Throughout the pregnancy, every prenatal appointment where the babies were found to be alive was a blessing for Savannah. When she discovered that both her babies had Down syndrome, her husband was away at boot camp. She was admitted to the hospital when she was 29 weeks pregnant and gave birth to the identical twin girls, Kennadi Rue and Mckenli Ackerman, on May 12, 2021, two months before their due date.
The twins were diagnosed as mono di twins, meaning they had their own sacs but shared the same placenta, making them identical. This type of twin is already rare, but with the added complication of Down syndrome, it made them even more so, occurring only once in 2 million births.
Despite their rare condition, Savannah emphasized that her children were just like any other child, with feelings and the ability to talk and do things just like any other child. Although they may be a step behind, she is confident that they will reach their milestones with time, and she shares their adorable updates on TikTok as they do so.
Despite the joy that the twins have brought Savannah and her family, they have had to face insensitive comments from some people on social media. However, Savannah had the perfect response to one such comment, stating that God had chosen her and her husband as the parents of these babies, who would love and cherish them, regardless of their condition, which makes them unique and special in their own way.
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