London — A Nigerian woman, 43, has reportedly incurred over £500 000 after she gave birth to quadruplets at Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea Hospital in London in November, 2016.

According to Standard UK, the woman only identified as Priscilla had initially intended to give birth in Chicago, United States — where she had family — after being warned that Nigerian hospitals did not have “facilities to cater for the children”.

She underwent IVF treatment to help her conceive.

Priscilla was, however, turned away by US border officials, who claimed she did not have required documents from a hospital stating that she had money to pay for the delivery, a Vanguard report said.

She was on her way back to Nigeria via London when she started having contractions shortly after landing at Heathrow airport.

The woman was rushed to Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea Hospital in West London, where she delivered four babies, three months to her expected day of delivery. Unfortunately one child died shortly after birth and another died last Saturday.

She was now living in a London hostel run by a charity while her two surviving babies, Elijah and Esther, remained in hospital.

Hospital officials estimated that the total bill for the highly complex birth and care of babies was already more than £500 000.

The cost of treating one baby in neonatal intensive care was $20 000 a week.

Priscilla’s husband was still in Nigeria as he could not afford travel costs to London.

— AP

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