In a story that sounded unbelievable at first, a mother giving birth to an extraordinary number of babies stunned the medical team with a shocking discovery — not all of what emerged from the birth were babies.
The tale first grabbed headlines when a South African woman named Gosiame Thamara Sithole reportedly delivered 10 babies — seven boys and three girls — setting what would have been a world record for decuplets. Initial scans showed only eight babies, making the arrival of ten an astonishing surprise for doctors and family alike. The birth was said to have been a combination of natural delivery and cesarean section to safely deliver all the children.
However, the biggest shock came during and after delivery when doctors realized that one of the lives they thought was a baby was actually something else. Details indicate one of the "babies" turned out to be a non-living tissue mass or possibly a misidentified sac or other fetal structure rather than a viable infant. This explains the confusion around the impressive but complex delivery.
Such cases, while extremely rare, do happen when medical imaging detects multiple sacs or fetal tissue masses that mimic living fetuses. Polyembryony or complex pregnancies involving fetal demise of one or more fetuses prior to birth can result in retained tissue alongside surviving babies.
Despite the surprise, the viable babies are reportedly healthy and receiving care. The miracle of surviving multiple births, especially beyond octuplets, is medically rare and demands exceptional neonatal support. While the full count of surviving babies varies in reports, the story highlights both the marvels and medical complexities of rare multiple pregnancies.
The mother’s health during and after this intense pregnancy, her resilience, and the intensive care her babies receive remain central to public attention. The case also reminds physicians and families to be cautious with ultrasound interpretations and pregnancies involving multiple gestations.