A woman from Mali has given birth to nine children, which is two more than she was initially expecting, because the doctors didn't originally spot two of them during the ultrasound, according to the country's health ministry.
Halima Cisse, 25, was thought to be carrying seven babies, according to ultrasounds that were taken ahead of her birth, but eventually delivered nine babies after she was flown from her home country to Morocco for a caesarean section.
The woman's rare multiple pregnancy had drawn quite a bit of attention in Mali and eventually caught the eye of the leaders of the West African nation.
In March, doctors said she would need specialist care, and the decision was taken by transitional leader Bah Ndaw to send her off to Morocco.
Once there, she gave birth to five girls and four boys, the ministry said.
Malian health minister Fanta Siby told AFP: "The mother and babies are doing well so far."
Siby said that she had been being kept in the loop by the Malian doctor who had accompanied Cisse on her journey to Morocco.
They'll be back home in a few weeks, Siby added.
Despite that, a spokesperson for the health ministry in Morocco Rachid Koudhari said that he had no knowledge of a birth such as this one taking place in any of the hospitals in the North African country.
According to local media, the doctors were extremely concerned about the health of the babies, as well as their mother.
It's obviously extremely rare to give birth to seven babies - let alone nine - at one time. Medical complications are extremely commonplace and can often mean that some of the children do not survive.
However, the health ministry later reported that the children are 'doing well'.
In a statement - translated from French - they wrote: "In this happy circumstance, the Minister of Health and Social Development thanks the transitional President, whose political leadership and generosity made it possible to expedite and ensure financial support for the medical evacuation of Halima Cisse.
"[The ministry] welcomes the support of Halima's family...the Minister of Health and Social Development congratulates the medical teams in both Mali and Morocco whose professionalism is the reason behind the happy outcome of this pregnancy."
They concluded: "The Minister of Health and Social Development wishes a long life to both the babies and their mother."
I think we can all get behind those sentiments.
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