List of multiple 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡s records only two instances of nonuplets (nine 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 at once to the same mother), none of whom survived more than a few days, so the alleged news of a woman’s giving 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡 to eleven healthy 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren at once (all of them boys) would be remarkable indeed:

You read it correctly: eleven infants! Is this factual, or is it simply an urban legend fueled by some excellent Photoshop work? Well, while the picture speaks for itself (and we all know how pictures can be misleading), anonymous sources indicate that the eleven sweet little bundles of joy photographed above are actually the eleven babies who were 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 on the unique day of November 11th, 2011 (11/11/11).

Just so you know, at this point, no official news agency has been able to confirm or deny the information that a woman gave 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡 to 11 kids in just one pregnancy. So let’s take a step back and analyze the situation medically and logically. Is it possible or not for a woman to carry 11 fetuses in her womb and to actually deliver them all alive?

Several 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡s can occur naturally, such as when a woman ovulates more than one egg every month, in which case they can all be fertilized, or when she produces just one egg but it splits immediately after fertilization, resulting in multiple embryos, according to medical publications. Multiple 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡s are becoming increasingly common as a result of infertility therapies like In Vitro fertilization.

This is the procedure which “implants” more than one fertile egg in a woman’s womb, in hopes that at least one will be accepted by the body. Also, the use of fertility drugs can lead to multiple egg ovulation, hence multiple babies. The same question about how it is possible arises for the twins 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 months apart.

As many of you are well aware, 𝓈ℯ𝓍tuplets (six babies at one shot) are no longer a rarity these days. In fact, more and more cases of women giving 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡 to 6 healthy babies are registered. But what would you say about 7, 8, or more babies at once?

In 1997, the first medical case of surviving healthy septuplets was recorded in the United States. Three girls and four boys were 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 with sizes ranging from 3 lbs and 4 ounces to just barely 15 ounces.

Do you think 7 isn’t amazing enough? How about 8 babies at once?

In 1998, a set of octuplets was 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 in Houston, Texas. The first of the babies was delivered 15 weeks premature, while the remaining twins were kept inside the womb for two more weeks, and then delivered by a caesarean section. Unfortunately, the tiniest of them died after just one week, but the remaining 7 are alive, well, and enjoying life.

In another case, the 45-year-old “Octomom” Nadya Suleman, who has a total of 14 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren, took to Instagram on Tuesday night to wish a happy 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡day to the eight 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren she famously welcomed via IVF in 2009. Luckily, they all grow very healthy. So far, all of the reports of multiple babies beyond octuplets do not have happy endings. In 1999, a Malaysian woman gave 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡 to 9 babies, which were officially the most babies in one 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡. Sadly, all babies died within 6 hours of living.