South African woman gives birth to record 10 babies at once: report

A South African woman has reportedly given birth to 10 babies at once — smashing a world record set just last month.

Gosiame Thamara Sithole, already a 37-year-old mom of six-year-old twins, initially thought she was going to have eight kids, becoming a rare “Octomom” like Californian Nadya Suleman, according to a report Tuesday.

But when she gave birth by Caesarean section at a Pretoria hospital Monday she was surprised when 10 babies emerged, her husband, Teboho Tsotetsi, told the Pretoria News.

“It’s seven boys and three girls,” Tsotetsi told the outlet of his wife who was “seven months and seven days pregnant.”

“I am happy. I am emotional. I can’t talk much. Let’s talk again in the morning please,” Tsotetsi told the outlet.

Sithole, from Ekurhuleni, said that her pregnancy was natural and that she had not received fertility treatment, which has been linked to other multiple-baby births.

If confirmed, Sithole’s 10-kid delivery would make it the first known birth of decuplets.

The previous record was claimed by Halima Cisse, who reportedly gave birth to nine kids — nonuplets — in Malia last month.

“Guinness World Records is aware of the news that Gosiame Thamara Sithole has given birth to decuplets, and we send our congratulations and best wishes to the family,” a spokesperson for the records listing told The Post Tuesday.

“At the current time, we are yet to verify this as a record as the wellbeing of both the mother and babies is of top priority.

“Our records team alongside a specialist consultant are looking into this,” the spokesperson said.

Sithole had shown off her huge pregnant belly last month during a photoshoot with her husband when they still thought they were expecting octuplets.

Even that had been a surprise, as the initial scans only showing only six babies, she previously told Pretoria News.

“When the doctor told me, I took time to believe it,” she said of the seemingly inaccurate news that she was expecting octuplets.

“Even when I saw the scans I didn’t believe it. But, as time went by, I realized it was indeed true. I battled to sleep at night though,” she said.

“God made a miracle and my children stayed in the womb without any complications,” she said of her “hard” pregnancy.

“I just pray for God to help me deliver all my children in a healthy condition, and for me and my children to come out alive. I would be pleased about it,” she said at the time.

Her husband — who is unemployed — said that he “felt like one of God’s chosen children” even when he thought he’d fathered eight kids.

 

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