Malian Woman Sets Guinness World Record by Giving Birth to Nine Babies in Rare Medical Miracle
Malian woman Halima Cissé made medical history by giving birth to nine babies at once in May 2021, a rare phenomenon called nonuplets. Delivered prematurely in Morocco under specialized care, all nine infants five girls and four boys survived, setting a new Guinness World Record for the most children born at a single birth to survive. After months of intensive treatment, the family returned home to Mali, inspiring the world with this remarkable story of resilience and advanced neonatal care.
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Thinkbrief
8/5/20252 min read


A rare moment in medical history unfolded when Halima Cissé, a young woman from Mali, delivered nine babies at once, a phenomenon known as nonuplets. This astonishing event, which took place on May 4, 2021, at the Ain Borja clinic in Casablanca, Morocco, shattered previous records for multiple births and was soon verified as a Guinness World Record for the most children delivered at a single birth to survive.
Cissé's journey began with a surprising discovery during her pregnancy. Initial ultrasounds conducted in Mali indicated she would be carrying seven babies. Given the complexity and risks associated with such a high-order multiple pregnancy, Malian authorities arranged her transfer to Morocco where specialized care would be available. In the days leading up to delivery, doctors realized the actual number of fetuses was even higher; she was expecting nine.
The birth unfolded in dramatic, high-stakes conditions. Medical staff at the Casablanca clinic were faced with the delicate challenge of safely delivering the babies and stabilizing Cissé's health. The children, five girls and four boys, came into the world prematurely at 30 weeks, each weighing between 500g and 1kg. Immediately after birth, all nine newborns were placed in incubators. They faced daunting odds, as previous known cases of nonuplets did not result in all the babies surviving beyond a few days. Specialists cared for the infants around the clock, monitoring their development closely.
For months, Cissé and her extraordinary family remained in Morocco, with medical teams supporting both her and her children. The babies’ father, Abdelkader Arby, a sailor in the Malian Navy, stayed in Mali during the birth but was kept informed about the progress of his remarkable family. After nearly a year and a half of intensive neonatal and pediatric care, the nonuplets were healthy enough to return home to Mali in December 2022, a triumph greeted with pride and wonder by their homeland.
Both Cissé and Arby described the experience as life-changing, shouldering the immense responsibility of nurturing nine infants at once. They repeatedly stated their gratitude for the support shown by the Malian government and international medical communities. The parents named their children Adama, Oumou, Hawa, Kadidia, Fatouma, Oumar, Elhadji, Bah, and Mohammed VI. Reports show the nonuplets growing steadily, achieving milestones and captivating the world with every update.
Before this birth, Nadya Suleman in the United States held the previous Guinness World Record after delivering octuplets in 2009. While there had been sporadic reports of other nonuplets born in Australia in 1971 and Malaysia in 1999, none of those nine babies survived more than a few days, making the healthy outcome of Cissé’s pregnancy nothing less than a miracle.
The story of Halima Cissé and her nine children is not just a medical marvel but a symbol of hope and resilience. It underscores the advances in neonatal care and the importance of international cooperation in facing rare medical challenges. Now home in Mali, the family continues to attract worldwide attention, inspiring awe in both medical professionals and the public with the extraordinary reality of raising nine siblings born on the same miraculous day.