Despite a 72% increase between 1980 and 2018, twin pregnancies are still quite rare. About 33 out of 1,000 births result in twins. What are the chances of having identical twins? On average, three to four out of 1,000 births are identical twins. Again, that’s not all that common. Savannah Combs, 23, was thrilled to learn she was expecting twins. Then she discovered both have Down syndrome, which is also unusual. Naturally, the information was worrying. Savannah and her husband, Justin Ackerman, were aware that some people would judge them based on their illness and their children’s situation. But Savannah thinks that’s exactly what makes them so beautiful.
“What they have is very rare, but they’re my little gems,” she said. Savannah, originally from Middleburg, Florida, posted videos of her postpartum journey with her children, Kennadi Rue and Mckenli Ackerman, on TikTok, and the videos gained instant popularity. In one of her videos, Savannah said she was advised to abort her children because they wouldn’t survive. However, she decided to keep them and give them a chance. “Every [prenatal] appointment during their lifetime has been a blessing to me,” Savannah said. Her husband was at boot camp when she found out they both have Down syndrome.
When Savannah was 29 weeks pregnant, she was admitted to the hospital and gave birth to the twins. Kennadi Rue and Mckenli Ackerman, identical twins, were born on May 12, 2021. The twins had to spend a few weeks in the neonatal intensive care unit before they could go home because they were born two months premature. “They are called mono-di twins, which means they had their own amniotic sacs but shared the same placenta, meaning they would be identical,” she explained.
“Mono-di twins are already very rare. And on top of that, Down syndrome affects one in two million people.” According to Savannah, despite having an unusual condition, they are just like any other child. “They have feelings. Their hearts beat. They know how to talk. They know how to do the things they do. They will get through it,” she said. “Like I said, it may be one step too late, but they will. I’ve learned that these children are vibrant and happy little beings.”
