I said, “Of course it cannot, but only each in its own time”: The pronoun it refers to the “woman’s womb” in verse 46. Good News Bible has a good model for this verse, and so does Contemporary English Version as follows:

• “No,” I answered. “Only one child can be born at a time.”

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Esdras. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.