This past Sunday marked a significant event at the Abel Santamaría Cuadrado Teaching General Hospital in Pinar del Río, as triplets were delivered successfully. According to a Facebook post by pro-government journalist Yamile Ramos Cordero, the newborns are in good health, closely monitored by the medical team.
The triplets were born weighing 1,989 grams, 2,000 grams, and 2,130 grams, respectively. Immediately after birth, they were taken to the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit, where they received care in incubators set to normal temperature ranges.
Ramos Cordero shared, "A triplet delivery just occurred at the Abel Santamaría Hospital. Three boys were born weighing 1989, 2000, and 2130 grams, all in good condition as per the doctors' updates." Her post included photos of the healthcare team and the infants in incubators.
This is the second instance in 2026 where a mother has delivered triplets in Vueltabajo province, further highlighting the Abel Santamaría Hospital's role in such rare medical occurrences.
With triplet births naturally occurring once in every 7,000 to 10,000 pregnancies, these events are considered high-risk obstetric and neonatal cases. The triplets born on Sunday are under specialized care, though their initial progress appears positive.
As the primary hospital in Pinar del Río, the Abel Santamaría handles nearly 95% of the province's births. Its Neonatology department is the only one of its kind in Vueltabajo, having undergone extensive renovations in July 2023. This overhaul, costing 15.8 million Cuban pesos, added intensive and intermediate care areas, isolation cubicles, a clinical laboratory, X-ray facilities, and a laminar flow system. Approximately 23% of newborns at this hospital require specialized neonatal care.
This recent delivery happened amid a severe electricity crisis in Pinar del Río. The hospital is prioritized to receive power during the frequent outages plaguing the province.
The year 2026 has seen several triplet births across Cuba. In May, a triplet birth was recorded in Artemisa, and in June, Ian, Dylan, and Liam were born at the Lenin Hospital in Holguín and discharged in August after weeks of specialized care. The Pinar del Río event is the latest in this series.
Cuba is also facing a healthcare crisis, reflected in rising infant mortality rates. The country ended 2025 with a rate of 9.9 deaths per 1,000 live births, up from 7.1 in 2024, underscoring the importance of successful high-risk births like the one at Abel Santamaría Hospital this Sunday.
Understanding Triplet Births in Cuba
How often do triplet births occur naturally?
Triplet births naturally happen approximately once in every 7,000 to 10,000 pregnancies.
What special care do triplets require after birth?
Newborn triplets often need to be placed in neonatal intensive care units immediately after birth, where they are monitored in incubators to ensure they are healthy and stable.
What improvements were made to the Neonatology department at Abel Santamaría Hospital?
The Neonatology department underwent major renovations, including the addition of intensive and intermediate care areas, isolation cubicles, a clinical laboratory, X-ray facilities, and a laminar flow system.