25-year-old, Halima Cisse, was informed by her doctors that she was expecting seven babies. But, it appears that while examining her, the doctors actually missed a couple of heartbeats on the scans, as she turned out to give birth to nine babies instead!
Halima is from Timbiktu, but spent a couple of weeks in Point G Hospital at the Malian capital of Bamako and then flew to Morocco in March to give birth in a specialist hospital. She was finally admitted to the Ain Borja private clinic in Casablanca on the 20th of March, spending over six weeks in the hospital before giving birth to five girls and four boys on Tuesday the 4th of May.
Even though Halima undertook the relevant ultrasound examinations both in Morocco and Mali, the medical professionals treating her were not able to detect all of the nine embryos.
Daily Mail has reported that all babies are healthy and doing well, as does the mother of the nonuplets following a cesarian section.
The birth has broken the world record previously held by Nadya Suleman who, in 2009, gave birth to eight babies all of which survived.
Halima's incredibly rare pregnancy caught the attention of political leaders in Mali who were keen to get involved in the mother's birth journey and offer their help. Fanta Siby, the country's Health Minister, who was part of the process, said in a statement:
"The newborns and the mother are all doing well."
She added that the new family is due to return home in subsequent weeks.
[h/t: I heart Intelligence]
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