Lucknow, May 31 (IANS): For 27-year-old Rehana, it was a huge surprise when she delivered four babies -- two girls and two boys -- in a Lucknow hospital as she was expecting only her first baby.

Rehana belongs to Gonda district and was expecting her ‘first baby' when she developed labour pains on Wednesday. Her family members took her to the district hospital but the doctors said her condition was "critical" and referred her to Lucknow.

She was admitted to a private hospital in Lucknow late on Wednesday and the doctors operated upon her to deliver the four babies.

Asha Misra, the doctor, said that it was rare for a woman to conceive quadruplets through natural means. "It is often through the IVF technology that a woman delivers twins or triplets," she said.

Misra said that all the babies weighed around 1.5 kilogram even though it was a premature delivery.

The mother and the babies would be kept under observation for a few more days.

The doctors said that they will be advising the mother on how to handle four babies together and ensure that each one gets ample nutrition.