UPDATE June 16, 2021: An investigation into the claims that a South African woman gave birth to decuplets earlier this month has led the alleged father, Teboho Tsotetsi, to release a public statement urging donations be halted until evidence of the babies’ existence is produced, local news outlet Independent Online reported.
Meanwhile, Gosiame Sithole, the purported mother of the decuplets, has released her own statement, accusing the Tsotetsi family of wanting to financially benefit from the donations.
As of this date, photographic evidence of the decuplets has not surfaced. Area hospitals have no records of such a delivery, which would have likely set a world record.
To follow developments in this case, refer to this timeline from TimesLive or follow the ongoing investigation by Snopes.
ORIGINAL STORY:
A woman in South Africa may be a new mom and a new world record holder.
Gosiame Thamara Sithole, 37, has given birth to decuplets, the Pretoria News reported.
That’s 10 babies.
Her husband, Teboho Tsotetsi, said they were told they were having eight children, so the additional two were a surprise, Pretoria News reported.
The seven boys and three girls were delivered at 29 weeks by caesarean section. They are the younger siblings of 6-year-old twins, the South African newspaper said.
The BBC reported the birth somewhat differently, a family member told BBC News that five of the babies were born naturally, while the rest were born via C-section.
An unnamed South African official confirmed the babies’ birth but another unnamed official had not seen the children, BBC News reported.
In 2009, Nadya Suleman gave birth to eight babies and all survived. She holds the current Guinness World Record for most children delivered at a single birth to survive. A 25-year-old woman gave birth to nine babies in Morocco last month, NPR reported. The birth of nine and now 10 babies have not been confirmed by Guinness World Records officials.
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