Pregnancies can be unexpected, but for some, they turn out to be joyful surprises. Katelyn Yates, 20, never expected to learn that she was pregnant with quadruplets. When she went to the hospital on April 1, 2024, for a sore throat, she thought she would leave with a simple diagnosis. But the news she received was anything but ordinary.
While at the hospital, the staff decided to perform an X-ray to check for the cause of her sore throat. As part of the procedure, they asked Yates to take a pregnancy test, just in case the radiation could harm an unborn baby. To her surprise, the test came back positive, and further tests showed that she was pregnant with quadruplets. Yates thought the doctor was joking because it was April 1, but she soon realized the news was real. She shared that her fiancé, Julian Bueker, 21, was thrilled by the news, which helped calm her nerves.
Later in her pregnancy, Yates was diagnosed with preeclampsia, which caused serious health issues, including a failing liver and kidneys. As her due date approached, she developed lung and nerve problems, making it difficult to breathe. On October 17, doctors delivered her babies by C-section at 28 weeks. Despite their early arrival, the babies were doing well in the NICU and were expected to stay there until their due date, January 5, 2025.
Yates named her babies Zya Grace, Max, Ashton, Elliott, and Elizabeth. Max and Elliott are identical twins. The babies were small, weighing between 1 lb. 2 oz. and 2 lb. 6 oz. at birth, but they are growing and gaining weight.
Yates, originally from Montana, was far from home when she gave birth in Springfield, Illinois. A friend, Heidi Rink, helped get Yates’ parents to Illinois to support her. Rink also set up donation sites for the family, and the community showed great support. Yates expressed her gratitude for the kindness and help from friends and family during such a challenging time.
