This mom thought she was pregnant with seven babies. She gave birth to nine

We are in awe of Halima Cisse, a 25-year-old Malian woman who just gave birth to nine babies at once.

According to Mali’s Ministry of Health, Cisse’s doctors believed she was carrying seven babies. Knowing that Cisse had an extremely rare pregnancy involving septuplets, the Mali government sent Cisse to a Moroccan hospital with better neonatal resources.

She carried her babies to 30 weeks before delivering all nine in Morocco.

Cisse gave birth to five girls and four boys via cesarean section. She and her children are all doing well, according to a statement by Fanta Siby, Mali’s minister of health and social development.

The Guinness Book of World Records says its current record for most living births at once is eight, set by American Nadya Suleman, who gave birth to eight premature, but healthy children, in 2009.

The Guinness team is currently verifying Cisse’s birth. In addition to bringing home nine babies, she’s likely to earn the world record.

We know that carrying a single pregnancy can be difficult. Like much of the world, we’re sending our love and support to Cisse for her bravery and strength.