NQ twins likely born early due to ‘barometric pressure’ drop in flooding event

Twin baby girls who came into the world at the height of the 2025 floods are “progressing beautifully”. Here’s why doctors think the heavy rain possibly caused their mother’s early labour.

Twin baby girls who came into the world at the height of the 2025 floods are “progressing beautifully”, despite their surprise early arrival.

Hughenden couple Chloe and Jordan Rafter were staying with family in Cranbrook in the early hours of Saturday morning when Mrs Rafter’s membranes ruptured at 2.30am.

“It certainly wasn’t something I was expecting,” Mrs Rafter said.

“We got to the hospital around 3.15am; Ayla was born at 4.10am and Harper at 4.22am... when one was out and they said we’re going for the second, I thought ‘that’s right, there’s another one’.”

The twins were born right as a historic and prolonged monsoon event lashed Townsville.

Pre-term identical twins Harper and Ayla Rafter born during the height of the storm last Saturday pictured with mum and dad Chloe and Jordan Rafter and big sister Addalyn. Picture: Shae Beplate.

Director of maternal foetal medicine Dr David Watson said the heavy rain possibly contributed to Mrs Rafter’s early labour.

“There is published research that shows a strong correlation between a drop in barometric pressure and spontaneous rupture of membranes, and subsequent labour,” Dr Watson said.

“We’ve had Chloe here in Townsville for scans and monitoring for a few weeks and the whole team is delighted with the safe delivery of the babies.”

Pre-term identical twins Harper and Ayla Rafter born during the height of the storm last Saturday pictured with mum and dad Chloe and Jordan Rafter and big sister Addalyn. Picture: Shae Beplate.

Staff specialist neonatologist Dr Natalee Williamson said Ayla and Harper were ‘progressing beautifully’ in the special care nursery.

“Given they’ve been born a little ahead of schedule, we would expect them to remain in our care for the next couple of weeks,” Dr Williamson said.

There were 26 babies born at TUH, two in Ingham, and three in Ayr between 12.01am on 31 January and midnight on 3 February, including two sets of twins born at TUH.

There were 11 babies born on 3 February at TUH; the daily average is seven.

Originally published as NQ twins likely born early due to ‘barometric pressure’ drop in flooding event