Malian Nonuplets Turn Four! Guinness World Records Celebrates Historic Survival

Guinness World Records (GWR) has marked the fourth birthday of the Malian nonuplets, the first set of nine babies born at once to survive, with a heartwarming message shared on their official Facebook page.

“Happy Birthday to the record-breaking nonuplets! Today is a very special one for Malian couple Halima Cissé and Abdelkader Arby – their record-breaking nonuplets are turning four!” GWR posted.

“These adorable new pictures of the siblings, who also have a six-year-old big sister, Arby, demonstrate what lovely little boys and girls they have become! The children are the first known incidence of nonuplets surviving birth, earning them the record for most children delivered at a single birth to survive,” the post continued.

The nine babies, five girls and four boys, were born prematurely via Caesarean section on May 4, 2021, at 30 weeks into Halima Cissé’s pregnancy.

They now hold the Guinness World Record for the most children delivered in a single birth to survive, surpassing the previous record held by Nadya Suleman, who gave birth to octuplets in the United States in 2009.

A Family’s Journey – From Concern to Celebration

In a series of new photos shared by GWR, Halima Cissé and her husband, Abdelkader Arby, are seen proudly posing with their nine children, all dressed in matching outfits.

Reflecting on the birth of the nonuplets, Abdelkader initially expressed concerns about how they would manage to raise so many children simultaneously. However, generous donors stepped in to provide financial support, turning their home into a focal point of public interest.

"They’re all crawling now," Abdelkader told the BBC months after their birth. "Some are sitting up and can even walk if they hold on to something."

Despite the challenges, he said, “It’s not easy, but seeing all the babies in perfect health makes me so happy.”

A Medical Marvel and Rare Phenomenon

The nonuplets were delivered in a clinic in Morocco, where they remained under specialized medical care for months due to their premature birth. Halima Cissé, then 26 years old, was closely monitored during the pregnancy, as carrying nine fetuses at once is an exceedingly rare and high-risk condition.

Before the birth of the Cissé nonuplets, there had been no documented cases of nine babies from a single birth surviving beyond a few hours.