40-Year-Old Ugandan Woman Gives Birth To 44 Children

Mariam Nabatanzi, a 40-year-old Ugandan woman, has garnered significant attention due to the large size of her family. According to the National Post, she was forced into marriage at 12 and gave birth to twins shortly after. Nabatanzi subsequently gave birth to multiple sets of twins, triplets, and quadruplets, resulting in 44 children. Only one of them was not a twin.

Dr. Charles Kiggundu, a gynecologist at a hospital in Kampala, told the Daily Monitor, “She has a genetic condition of hyperovulation (releasing multiple eggs in one cycle), which significantly increases the chances of multiple births.”

Several doctors were unable to help her condition despite her requests, stating that if Nabatanzi stopped giving birth, she could face health problems that could threaten her life or cause blood clots, kidney failure, ovarian torsion, and respiratory distress.

After neglecting his responsibilities for an extended period, Nabatanzi’s spouse deserted the family, taking their financial resources and leaving her to raise their children alone.

In an interview, Nabatanzi said, “I spent all my time caring for my children and working to earn money. I did everything possible, including beauty, event planning, scrap collection and sales, and selling herbs.”

Reuters Driven by her unwavering desire to see her children educated, Nabatanzi shouldered the immense burden of supporting them entirely on her own.

Stemming from the challenges of her abandonment in childhood, Nabatanzi prioritizes her children’s happiness above all else.

A medical intervention three years ago addressed Nabatanzi’s request to prevent further pregnancies. Uganda’s birth rate, at 5.6 children per woman, is significantly higher than the global average. Even by this standard, Nabatanzi’s family is considered exceptionally large.