Nine babies born to Malian woman 'stable' - doctor

Nine babies born to a Malian woman, in an extremely rare example of nonuplets, are in a stable condition and the mother is in good health, according to her doctor.

Halima Cisse gave birth in a Moroccan hospital on Tuesday (May 4).

Medical complications are common in multiple births of this kind, but Dr Youssef Alaoui said Cisse was out of danger.

"In regards to the preterm infants, there are nine: five girls and four boys, their condition is stable, under artificial respiration and there are those who have been put on oxygen. Their weight ranges from 500g to 1000g."

Cisse's pregnancy has fascinated Mali and attracted the attention of its leaders.

When doctors said in March that she needed specialist care, authorities flew her to Morocco.

She had been expected to give birth to seven babies according to ultrasounds.

Alaoui says they were surprised to find two more.

"This is a rare thing in the world, by reaching 30 weeks of pregnancy and the children are in good health."

All the babies were delivered via caesarean section.