A Calgary woman delivered a rare set of identical quadruplets in a Montana hospital because southern Alberta's only neonatal intensive care unit was full.

Karen Jepp delivered the girls — Autumn, Brooke, Calissa and Dahlia — on Sunday afternoon at the Benefis Hospital in Great Falls. Hospital officials said Thursday that all four babies were in good condition and breathing without ventilators.

J.P. Jepp cradles Brooke Jepp, one of the identical quadruplets his wife Karen gave birth to this week. J.P. Jepp cradles Brooke Jepp, one of the identical quadruplets his wife Karen gave birth to this week.
(Kristen Cates/The Great Falls Tribune/Associated Press)

The babies, naturally conceived, were delivered by caesarean section at 31 weeks. Dahlia is the smallest, weighing two pounds six ounces at birth. Autumn is the largest, weighing two pounds 15 ounces.

Jepp went into labour on Friday, Aug. 10.

Despite having earlier co-ordinated a medical team to deliver the babies, the Foothills Medical Centre's neonatal intensive care unit was over capacity that night, officials with the Calgary Health Region said.

Health officials said they checked with Canadian hospitals before deciding to fly Jepp to Great Falls with her husband, a nurse and a respiratory technician.

Dr Tom Key, who delivered the babies, said the smallest was in trouble so he decided to perform the caesarean on Sunday.

Everyone 'had a purpose'

"It came off smoothly. There was not a lot of fanfare, there was not a lot of hoopla," Key said. "Everyone had a purpose, everyone had a role, everyone knew what their role was and it came off without a hitch."

J.P. Jepp holds Autumn Jepp. The four girls were breathing without ventilators and listed in good condition Thursday. J.P. Jepp holds Autumn Jepp. The four girls were breathing without ventilators and listed in good condition Thursday.
(Kristen Cates/The Great Falls Tribune/Associated Press)

Dr. Ian Lange of the Calgary Health Region said the chances of having naturally conceived identical quads is one in 13 million.

Two of the babies will be moved Thursday to a hospital in Calgary and the other two might be transferred Friday.

Karen Jepp and her husband, J.P. Jepp, who works for Shell Oil's renewable energy operation, also have a two-year-old son named Simon.

With files from the Associated Press