On May 4, 2021, a 26-year-old Malian woman named Halima Cissé gave birth to nine infants in one delivery at the Aïn Borja Clinic in Casablanca, Morocco, marking a medically remarkable and rare occurrence. This astonishing event sets a new Guinness World Record as the first known instance of nonuplets, nine children born simultaneously, surviving past the first few hours.

The nonuplet story

Halima Cissé initially thought she was expecting seven babies, based on scans in Mali. Given the high-risk nature of her pregnancy, she was transferred to a specialized clinic in Casablanca with government support for expert care. Doctors there discovered she was carrying nine babies, five girls and four boys.

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The babies were born prematurely at 30 weeks via Caesarean section, each weighing between 500 grams and 1 kilogram. Despite the high risks associated with such a rare multiple birth, all nine babies survived and were stable, thanks to advanced neonatal care and the dedicated medical team overseeing their delivery and postnatal treatment.

Guinness World Record

Guinness World Records officially verified this birth as the most children delivered at a single birth to survive, surpassing previous records. Prior cases, like the 1972 octuplets in Italy, did not all survive. This record highlights Morocco’s growing medical infrastructure and expertise in handling high-risk pregnancies.

The recognition not only celebrated Cissé’s family but also emphasized the ethical and medical challenges of such pregnancies. According to verified reports, as of their first birthday, the babies were reported to be healthy and thriving.

The fake claim of a decuplet birth

You may have heard rumors of a woman giving birth to ten babies. This story originated in South Africa in June 2021, when Gosiame Thamara Sithole claimed to have given birth to decuplets. The story gained massive media attention.

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However, subsequent investigations by South African authorities and media outlets could not verify the birth. No hospital records, medical staff, or physical evidence of the ten babies were ever produced. The story was widely debunked, making the verified survival of Halima Cissé’s nine babies in Morocco all the more significant.

What could be the reason for such multiple births?

High-order multiple births, such as quadruplets, quintuplets, or nonuplets, are exceptionally rare naturally. In most cases, they are a result of assisted reproductive technologies (ART), commonly known as fertility treatments. These treatments often involve stimulating the ovaries to produce multiple eggs or implanting multiple embryos into the uterus.

Factors contributing to multiple births include:

• Fertility treatments: This is the most significant factor. Treatments like In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) can increase the chances of multiple pregnancies if more than one embryo is transferred.
• Maternal age: Women over 30 are more likely to conceive multiples, especially fraternal twins.
• Genetics: A family history of fraternal twins can increase a woman’s chance of having them.
• Previous pregnancies: Women who have previously had multiple pregnancies are more likely to conceive multiples again.

Halima Cissé’s pregnancy was confirmed by her doctors to have occurred spontaneously, without the use of IVF, which makes it an exceptionally rare natural occurrence. According to public statements, the medical team suggested hyperovulation, the production of multiple eggs during a menstrual cycle, as a possible explanation.

This extraordinary event highlights both the resilience of the mother and the newborns and the capabilities of modern neonatal care in ensuring their survival.