Video: Woman gave birth to 9 babies (nonuplets)

Remember the African woman who achieved a Guinness World Record last year by giving birth to nine infants at the same time? In Morocco’s port city of Casablanca, a mother named Halima Cissé from Mali gave birth to nine infants (nonuplets), five girls and four boys.

This is yet another case of nonuplets.

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What is the cause of a multiple pregnancy?

Such pregnancies are extremely rare to occur spontaneously; they are usually the consequence of reproductive therapy, but we do not know if this was the case in Ms Cissé’s instance.

However, gynaecologist Bill Kalumi of Kenya’s Kenyatta National Hospital claims that they only arise when this is the case.

Fertility therapy is sought for a variety of reasons.

However, fertility medicines are most typically administered in Africa after a woman discontinues a hormonal method of contraception since she may find it difficult to ovulate again, according to Dr Kalumi.

This can result in the release of many eggs rather than one during a woman’s monthly cycle.

Multiple births are dangerous for both mothers and newborns, and in countries where abortion is permitted, a woman who is discovered to be carrying more than four foetuses is usually counseled to lower that number.

Pregnancies involving a significant number of infants, such as Ms Cissé’s, usually terminate prematurely.

Premature babies, those born before 37 weeks, are at risk of having issues because their lungs are immature and they are susceptible to infections such as sepsis due to their weakened immune system.

Longer term, children born in multiples are more likely to develop cerebral palsy, a mobility disorder.