Halima Cisse, from Timbuktu, was told by doctors in Mali’s capital, Bamako, that she’d be having seven babies. A second opinion from doctors in Morocco confirmed the count. Cisse’s pregnancy had already made national headlines before she went into labor. So invested were Malians that the nation’s president, Bah N’Daw, ordered that Cisse be sent to North Africa in late to be able to give birth with specialists present.
She was admitted to a Moroccan clinic and remained on bedrest until giving birth on Tuesday. And that she did — to a whopping five girls and four boys — via cesarean section, according to Mali’s health ministry. “The mother and babies are doing well so far,” health minister Fanta Siby told Agence France-Presse. Siby said they confirmed the news with Cisse’s resident doctor, who had accompanied the mom-to-be to Morocco, and added that the family is currently resting there with plans to return to Mali after thorough observation.
The birth is already being hailed as a miracle as doctors have estimated that each faced more than 50% odds of being stillborn. Nonuplets are exceedingly rare, with only three incidents recorded since 1971, including Cisse’s pregnancy. If the little ones pull through, the Malian mom would bre-ak the current world record now held by so-called “Octomom” Nadya Suleman was the first and largest newborn set in the world to survive past one week — all of whom are still here today.
That benchmark was previously set by the Chukwu octuplets in 1998, of which seven survived. It is unclear whether in-vitro fertilization (IVF) was involved in Cisse’s pregnancy, as it is more common to give birth to multiples with the treatment. Minister Siby also gave her regards to health-care workers in Mali and Morocco, “whose professionalism is at the origin of the happy outcome of this pregnancy.”
This is how people reacted to this post:
Marie - I'm thankful that all 9 babies and their mother made it out healthy and alive Having just one baby is no easy task. Imagine what having 9 would be like .
Mariam - Why is it giving me second hand anxiety. I am glad that everyone is healthy but how are they going to raise 9 kids at same time. Parents need to provide both financial and emotional support for kids. I hope community and family will keep on helping them.
Emma Birchler - At least they will be able to say when they are older “Ya, my mom gave birth to me and my 8 siblings we made the book of world record when we were a couple days old.” THANK YOU TO ALL THE LIKES TO THIS COMMENT!!! I HAVE NEVER GOTTEN THIS MANY LIKES A COMMENT I MAKE!!!
Chloe - I can’t believe they managed to wait until 30 weeks. I can’t stop thinking about the fact that the Busby quints were born at 28 weeks, and there are only five of them!
This Article Was First Published on nypost.com
