Although the chances of giving birth to twins increased by 72 percent between 1980 and 2018, it remains relatively rare only about 33 out of every 1,000 births result in twins.
What are the odds of identical twins? Only about 3 to 4 out of every 1,000 births result in identical twins making them quite rare.
So when 23-year-old Savannah Combs discovered she was pregnant with twins, she was overjoyed. But what came next was even more extraordinary: both babies were diagnosed with Down syndrome.
Naturally, the news was emotional. Savannah and her husband, Justin Ackerman, knew their children might face judgment because of their condition. But to Savannah, that’s exactly what made them so special.
“It’s very rare what they have, but they’ve been my little gems,” she told News4JAX.
A resident of Middleburg, Florida, Savannah began sharing her post-pregnancy journey with her daughters Kennadi Rue and Mckenli Ackerman on TikTok, where their story quickly touched hearts and gained a loyal following.
In one emotional video, Savannah revealed that she had been encouraged to abort her pregnancy because doctors feared the babies wouldn’t survive. But she chose to keep them and give them a fighting chance.
“Every prenatal appointment they were alive was a blessing to me,” she explained.
Her husband was away at boot camp when Savannah found out about the Down syndrome diagnosis. At just 29 weeks, she was hospitalized and gave birth to her identical twin daughters, Kennadi and Mckenli, on May 12, 2021.
The twins were born two months early and spent several weeks in the NICU before they could finally come home.
“They’re what’s known as mono-di twins,” Savannah explained. “That means they each had their own amniotic sac but shared the same placenta so they were guaranteed to be identical.”
She added, “Mono-di twins alone are quite rare. But when you add Down syndrome to the mix, the odds become something like one in two million.”
Yet despite their unique condition, Savannah says her daughters are just like any other children full of life, love, and personality.
“They have feelings. They have a heartbeat. They know how to talk. They can do the same things you do,” Savannah said. “They might take a little longer, but they’ll get there. I’ve learned these kids are full of spirit feisty and happy little souls.”
As her daughters continue to hit milestones, Savannah regularly shares their joyful progress on TikTok, where their journey continues to inspire thousands.
“I’ll always remind them that they’re just like everyone else and that with determination, they can achieve anything.”
Unfortunately, not everyone has been kind. Savannah has faced harsh criticism from some users online. One cruel commenter even messaged her: “I wouldn’t want those babies; if mine came out like that, they’d go straight up for adoption.”
Savannah’s response, posted on Facebook, was simple and powerful:
“Good thing they weren’t born to you they were born to me. God knew exactly what He was doing when He gave these babies to parents who would love them unconditionally.”
