Life Triumphs Over Tragedy: The Unger Family Story
It’s a Friday afternoon in the Unger family home, and all is quiet — for the moment. Surviving quadruplets, Sophia, Greyson and Lyle IV, born at 26 weeks gestation on Nov. 15, 2015, are either sleeping or enjoying a feeding from mom and dad.
The tranquil scene inside the Niles, Michigan, home is in stark contrast to the tumultuous year for parents, Jennifer and Lyle Jr. Jennifer gave birth to Lyle III, Liam and Kenneth, at 23 weeks gestation on Dec. 9, 2014. All three died before Christmas of 2014.
As devastating as it was for the Ungers, they held strong to the belief that their triplets would forever remain a visible and constant part of their lives going forward. “They’re always here with us and they always will be,” says Jennifer, 30. “They are still a part of everything in our lives.”
Newfound Hope
With the memory of their boys alive and well, the Ungers also kept hope alive about becoming pregnant again. Because Jennifer has polycystic ovarian disease, one of its symptoms being an inability to ovulate, she again tried medicines to stimulate egg growth and encourage her body to ovulate. In February of 2015, “wanting our boys to be big brothers,” the Ungers again used a hormone called Follistim® to stimulate egg follicles to develop and mature. On the fourth cycle of the hormone, Jennifer got pregnant.
The news became even more shocking shortly thereafter — an ultrasound revealed Jennifer was carrying quadruplets.
The news, as might be expected, immediately sparked fear in their hearts being that they lost three babies less than six months ago.
The idea of reducing the pregnancy for the betterment of all four was shared with the Ungers — and was rejected right away.
“You can’t show this momma their heart beats and not have an instant love for these little flickering blurbs on an ultrasound screen,” says Jennifer. “For us, we have already lost three babies, we could not and did not want to lose anymore. We decided we would do anything we had to do in order to try to get these babies as full term as possible.”
Obstacle Ahead
It would be a long and bumpy road ahead, especially for Jennifer.
While in the care of Beacon Medical Group Maternal Fetal Medicine, Kurt Stiver, MD, performed a preventive cervical cerclage at around 11 weeks to prevent premature birth. The pregnancy was further complicated when Jennifer was diagnosed with gestational diabetes.
She continued to work until 13 weeks when physicians ordered her to go on bed rest.
“I would continue weekly or biweekly appointments to check the babies and my cervix. Then at roughly 20 weeks, 5 days I had a mini meltdown. With the stress of knowing the timetable we were on, it had finally gotten the best of me. I could not stop crying, my emotions were all over, and I was going on roughly 23 hours with no sleep and no sleep in sight.”
Overwhelmed by fear and anxiety, Jennifer went to Maternal Fetal Medicine where Dr. Stiver checked her and the babies.
“All four babies were moving all over the place with no issues. This was a bit of a relief but I still had flashbacks to the triplets when the growth scan was going great, until they checked my cervix. I then went into the ultrasound for the internal cervix check. She got my cervix (fully closed and long) on the ultrasound and I cried. I felt a wave of relief sweep over me. I even joked, ‘I know you have women cry over their babies, but I am sure I am the first to cry over knowing their cervix was okay!’”
Life returned to normal, as much as that’s possible, until Sunday, Oct. 18 (21 weeks and 5 days pregnant), when that night Jennifer started bleeding. She was admitted to Memorial’s Special Care Obstetrics where Willie Donald, MD, maternal fetal medicine specialist, discovered a placenta tear, but thankfully there was no harm to the babies. She would remain in the hospital where a steroid injection at 24 weeks was done to help with lung growth. To help Jennifer, a donut pessary was inserted to reduce pressure on the cervix, and Jennifer began blood-thinning injections as well.
The Big Day
During the early morning hours of Nov. 19, 33 days into her stay in Special Care Obstetrics, Jennifer, 26 weeks pregnant, began contractions that could not be halted, even by medications.
“At around noon I was wheeled back to get prepped for a C-section. I had not been awake for my previous C-section and was very nervous. Once I was prepped and ready, they allowed my husband to come in.”
Inside the operating room were 27 medical professionals ready to do everything they could to ensure the health of Jennifer and her four babies. At 26 weeks and 2 days, excitement and relief filled the OR as Sophia, Greyson, Lyle IV and Carrie were born.
“I had the utmost confidence in the staff and I knew whatever needed to be done they would do their best,” says Lyle.
One month later, on Christmas Eve, Carrie became afflicted with necrotizing enterocolitis, a serious complication of prematurity. Unfortunately, she died at Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo, Michigan, while in the arms of her father.
Despite jaundice and some breathing problems, Sophia, Greyson and Lyle IV continued to show progress. Sophia was released from the NICU on Feb. 12, Greyson on Feb. 16 and Lyle IV on Feb. 23. All told, Jennifer remained in the close care of Memorial staff for 129 days.
Today, all three babies are doing well — as are their parents. Sophia and Greyson are improving from retinopathy, acute damage to the retina, while Lyle IV has a monitor to ensure he’s breathing well.
The rollercoaster the Ungers have been on — seven babies over the past year — has them feeling grateful for the gift of life, even if it’s fleeting, and for the compassionate, expert care of Beacon Children’s Hospital.
Lyle and Jennifer trusted completely in the staff every moment of the way.
“They are amazing,” says Lyle. “They do everything above and beyond, treating the babies like they are their own.”
Beacon neonatologist Basharat Buchh, MD, was honored to care for the Unger babies while in the NICU.
“It meant a lot to me to be a part of the NICU team that took care of them. Jennifer and Lyle were very strong throughout the stay,” he recalls. “Sending a set of parents home with three children after having lost four in the previous year is an amazing feeling that is hard to describe in words.”
Dr. Stiver will be forever grateful he played a role in the maternal care of Jennifer.
“It was a group effort on our part at Beacon Medical Group Maternal Fetal Medicine to help Jennifer get to 26 weeks,” he says. “I’ll look back on this as one of my highlights at Beacon.”
The Future
The Ungers would like to have more kids, but they’re in no hurry. And if they do, the spirit of Lyle III, Liam, Kenneth and Carrie, will be just as alive then as it is now. And no matter the obstacles down the road, Lyle and Jennifer will stick together.
“With my wife,” says Lyle, “I think we can move a mountain.”
Family-Centered Care
Beacon Children's Hospital Departments Involved in the Care of the Unger Family
Special Care Obstetrics
Beacon Medical Group Maternal Fetal Medicine
Newborn Intensive Care Unit
Mother-Baby Unit
Childbirth Unit