Egyptian woman defends master’s thesis in labour, gives birth to triplets hours later

Dubai: An Egyptian researcher, Aya Khalaf Ahmed, defended her master's thesis while enduring labor pains and delivered triplets just hours later, marking a day of remarkable academic and maternal achievements. Ahmed attended her thesis defense at Ain Shams University's Faculty of Education on Saturday morning, despite experiencing contractions ahead of her baby's arrival.

She took mild painkillers to manage the discomfort, which persisted throughout the several-hour-long defense. Upon completion, she was promptly taken to the operating room to welcome her triplet babies. Ahmed had anticipated triplets due to the higher risk of premature delivery and had scheduled the defense to avoid overlapping with the birth.

However, she woke with severe labor pains on the defense day and decided to proceed, fearing the birth might disrupt her academic journey or delay her degree completion. The most challenging aspect for Ahmed was the hours leading up to the defense, where she had to balance labor pains with presenting and defending her research. She described it as an "exceptional day," as it encapsulated both the culmination of her academic efforts and the birth of her three children.