SINGAPORE - In their first year of life, the Chua triplets have starred in a government commercial on television and joined a medical conference - on top of regularly attracting adoring and curious looks from their neighbours.

On Christmas Eve, Gareth, Kenneth and Seth celebrated their first Christmas and an early first birthday with a party for family and friends organised by their parents.

Their mother, Dr Claire Low, 34, said: "We are Christians, and Christmas is a time to give thanks for our gifts and blessings. And our children are our greatest gifts and blessing."

Their father, Mr Edwin Chua, a 36-year-old Singapore Armed Forces officer, described the triplets' conception as a medical miracle or mystery.

Only one frozen embryo had been implanted in Dr Low's womb through in-vitro fertilisation (IVF), and the chances of an embryo splitting into triplets are extremely rare, said her doctor, Dr Sim Wen Shan.

Dr Sim is a senior consultant at the Department of Maternal Foetal Medicine at KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH).

In fact, a landmark Japanese study found that only 0.04 per cent of pregnancies from a single embryo transfer produced triplets.

The Chuas' older son, three-year-old Keith, was conceived naturally.

Before Keith's birth, they had tried various fertility procedures, but to no avail.

In May 2022, the couple used one of their frozen embryos to try for a second child. 

They were shocked to learn that they were expecting triplets, they told The Straits Times in an earlier interview shortly after the triplets were born on Jan 3.

Dr Low had always dreamt of having four children, so the triplets' birth was a dream come true.

The boys were born one minute apart at 34 weeks through Caesarean delivery at KKH. Gareth is the oldest, Kenneth is the middle child, and Seth, the youngest. 

The birth of triplets is rare in Singapore.

In 2022, only six sets of triplets were born, according to the Report on Registration of Births and Deaths 2022 published by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority.

Dr Low, who is 1.68m tall and weighs 48kg, often joked that she looked like "a sotong ball on a satay stick" during her pregnancy, referring to the size of her tummy. 

She said the first few months after the triplets' birth were the toughest. 

She suffered from a condition where her abdominal muscles were pulled apart during pregnancy to make room for the growing babies.

With treatment and exercises, the condition healed about six months after she gave birth, although the first few weeks post-birth were very painful as she needed help, such as when getting out of bed or having a bath.

The couple hired two domestic helpers to care for the triplets, who are now in half-day infant care. Their parents also help to look after Keith. 

Feeding the boys is another challenge, as she gives them a mix of breast and formula milk. Through the year, their supply of milk has been topped up with donations from eight other mothers.

Dr Low, who now works part-time as a physiotherapist, said: "In August, they went on a milk strike and refused to drink formula milk. I had to pump every two hours, and it was sheer exhaustion."

So, she posted an appeal for donated breast milk on her social media feed, and offers flowed in.

The cost of raising triplets is another challenge.

She said: "It is everything times three - at once."

For example, when the triplets were newborns, they finished using a pack of 24 pieces of diapers, which costs about $10, within a day.

She added: "Everyone has been very generous and kind to us. Our friends and acquaintances have been dropping off clothes, diapers, toys and even breast milk."

The joy of having triplets is a unique one.

Mr Chua said: "The joy is also tripled. It is very fun to see them grow and play with them."

When they were newborns, Dr Low dressed the boys in different colours to tell them apart. Gareth and Kenneth are identical twins in the set of triplets.

But as they grew older, their personalities and physical features became more distinct. Their parents no longer have to identify them by dressing them in different colours.

Dr Low said Gareth, the oldest, is the heaviest and more mild-mannered. Kenneth, the middle child, is the one who clamours for more attention, while Seth is the lightest and is more curious.

She added: "Now, they are babbling, and they can say words like 'mama' and 'papa'. They like to crawl up to each other, to look at each other and laugh or shout, depending on their mood."

The triplets were also part of the Forward Singapore television commercial about building Singapore's shared future that was released on Oct 30.

The Forward Singapore report, which set out plans for a more equitable and thriving society, was unveiled by the country's fourth-generation leadership led by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong.

Dr Low said the triplets auditioned for the role in the advertisement, as she and her husband thought it was a meaningful project.

She added: "We feel proud that they are part of the future that Forward Singapore is trying to achieve. We feel hopeful about the future."

In November, Dr Sim invited Dr Low and her triplets to attend the 9th Scientific Meeting of the College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Singapore for her to share the experience of her pregnancy with triplets.

Dr Sim said that Dr Low had a highly complicated pregnancy, and had benefited from the medical care provided by the One-Stop Obstetric High Risk Centre, known as the Stork Centre, at KKH.

Dr Sim added: "We hope her sharing can foster enhanced empathy for patients, and improve the patient-doctor relationship."

Dr Kavitha Sothirasan, who is from KKH's Neonatology Department, said the triplets are thriving and developing appropriately for their age, and are "such a joy to have at the clinic".

The Chuas are thankful that the triplets are growing up healthily, among the many blessings they are grateful for this Christmas.

Dr Low said: "Christmas is a season of giving. This year, we have been given the gift of life, the gift of generosity, friendship and kinship.

"Christmas is also about hope. And hope never disappoints."

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This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.