Six babies born to a woman in Vancouver were in fair condition after what was believed to be Canada's first delivery of living sextuplets, hospital officials said.

The mother, who has asked that the family's name not be made public, gave birth to the four boys and two girls over the weekend and is in good condition, British Columbia Women's Hospital said.

Doctors said the babies were born prematurely after 25 weeks of gestation but refused to release details about the delivery or specific medical problems faced by the infants.

The vital signs of the sextuplets were stable and within normal limits, hospital officials said.

Babies born in Canada after only 25 weeks have, on average, an 80 per cent survival rate and are normally required to stay in neonatal intensive care for about 100 days, doctors said.

All but one of the infants were delivered by Caesarean section and weighed an average of 800 grams, according to media reports before the hospital confirmed the births.

Sextuplets are rare, although fertility treatments have increased the frequency of multiple births.

The family are members of the Jehovah's Witnesses denomination and have asked for privacy.

"While they understand there is a lot of public interest in their babies they are feeling overwhelmed," the hospital said in a brief statement. The first sextuplets known to survive their infancy were born to a South African couple in January 1974.

In October, twin girls conjoined at the head were born at British Columbia Women's Hospital.