Australian mother counts herself ‘lucky to be alive’ after falling pregnant while already pregnant, an exceptionally rare condition known as superfetation.

Jennie Hill, now 53, gave birth to two boys who were conceived a staggering 10 days apart, reports Daily Mail.

Having given birth to a baby girl five years earlier, she was told that after a complicated delivery, and near death on the operating table, she would never conceive again.

So it came as quite a shock to find she was pregnant with ‘twins’ some years later, in 1994.

Suffering from severe morning sickness Ms Hill was hospitalised at the seven week mark with an ultrasound revealing one baby was much smaller than the other.

‘They measured the babies femurs and noticed they were very different in size. Apparently this isn’t normal so early on with twins,’ Ms Hill told Daily Mail Australia.

‘The doctors told me that because of his size the smaller baby was dying.

‘Now at first I didn’t really want twins, the news came as a shock considering I was told I’d never fall pregnant again, but I was very upset to hear one was dying.’

For the next five weeks Ms Hill had regular ultrasound appointments all of which showed both babies heart beats were steady.

‘I remember one day I was bleeding on the hospital bed and a nurse said: “Don’t worry the blood is just the second baby letting go.” I was horrified.’

After the twelve week mark doctors said that the smaller baby was ‘severely disabled’ and may have complications like hydrocephaly.

Ms Hill said: ‘They [doctors] told me that because this was considered a high risk pregnancy, especially in terms of my previous labour, I should terminate the small baby.

It was only after her boys were born that Ms Hill discovered she had experienced a ‘double pregnancy’.

The mother-of-three said she was sharing her story now having read reports about similar cases of double pregnancy.

‘When I spoke about my experience on Facebook another woman mentioned she had a double pregnancy so I’m glad I talked about it,’ she said.

‘Women should know these types of rare circumstances exist so they can make informed decisions.’

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Image via Daily Mail