File photo. Copyright: seventyfour74

By Naadiya Adams

In an exceptionally rare occurrence, a Malian woman has given birth to nonuplets (nine babies) who are believed to be “doing well” according to the Malian government.

25-year-old Halima Cisse was flown to Morrocco on March 30 by the Malian government where she would receive better care, she was believed to be carrying septuplets at the time.

Cases of women successfully carrying septuplets to term are rare and nonuplets are virtually unseen.

The Morrocan government has yet to make an announcement regarding the birth but Mali’s Ministry of Health released a statement that Cisse had given birth to five girls and four boys by Caesarean section.

“The mother and babies are doing well so far,” Mali’s Health Minister Fanta Siby told AFP, adding that she had been kept informed by the Malian doctor who accompanied Cisse to Morocco.

The new mother of nine and her babies are set to return home in a few weeks.

Multiple births are always risky and doctors were concerned for Cisse’s health, according to local reports while her babies’ chances of survival were also very worrying.

Ultrasound examinations conducted in both Mali and Morocco showed that Cisse was carrying seven babies, it was only at the time of the birth that the other two babies were discovered.

Siby offered her congratulations and was quoted as saying “the medical teams of Mali and Morocco, whose professionalism is at the origin of the happy outcome of this pregnancy”.