A woman has given birth to quintuplets at a hospital in Berlin.

The Charité obstetric hospital announced on Thursday that the two girls and three boys were born at the end of September.

The five children and their mother are doing well, and the newborns had already more than doubled their birth weight, the hospital said.

“The birth of quintuplets is a medical rarity,” the statement said.

The birth of quintuplets is an extraordinary event even for experienced obstetricians, as well as a special logistical challenge, said Wolfgang Henrich, director of the hospital.

A 25-strong interdisciplinary team was present at the birth.

The five children were born by the caesarean section at the end of the 28th week of pregnancy.

“A birth like this requires a perfectly coordinated team from obstetrics, anaesthesia, neonatology, midwives and operating theatre nurses,” Henrich said. “We are glad that everything went smoothly and that the mother and children are doing well.”

Charité did not provide any information as to whether the mother became pregnant via artificial insemination.

“We are happy to be able to hold our five children safe and sound in our arms,” the mother said, according to the hospital statement.

dpa