1 in 100M: Identical Triplets Born in California

A California couple has created something so rare that experts can't put the odds to the nearest million: naturally conceived identical triplets. A single fertilized egg split in three to give Hannah and Tom Hepner of Quincy their daughters Abby, Brin, and Laurel, who are doing well in hospital and can go home when they gain a little more weight and can maintain their body temperature, reports the Sacramento Bee. Identical triplets are "so rare that it is hard to calculate how frequently they occur," says the founder of the Moms of Multiples Center, putting the chances at anywhere from one in a million to one in 100 million. Other experts say the odds could be as high as one in 200 million.

"We are thinking of bottling the water in Quincy and offering it as a fertility treatment," quips the proud father, who describes his 29-year-old wife as "quite a remarkable woman. She cruised through the experience. Hats off to her." The couple found out early on that they had identical triplets so they have had plenty of time to stock up on things in threes. "We understand that they are going to be individuals," Hannah says. "We look forward to finding out who those individuals are and helping them along the way." (Another set of identical triplets was born in October.)