Woman Beats 1 In 4.7 Billion Odds By Delivering Six Babies In Nine Minutes


I’m sure that most of us have wondered if we could ever set a world record but it seems that a mother in the United States has done so in a rather odd way. She gave birth to six babies in under 10 minutes.

When Thelma Chiaka delivered sextuplets, including two pairs of twin boys and one pair of twin girls at the Woman’s Hospital of Texas in Houston, it took place much faster than anybody could have thought possible. The first a baby was delivered at 4:50 AM and the sixth baby was delivered at 4:59 AM.

The babies were all in stable condition, weighing between 1 lb. 12 oz. and 2 lbs. 14 oz. They were being cared for in the hospital’s advanced neonatal intensive care unit.

When the hospital released a statement regarding the birth, they said that the odds of giving birth to sextuplets was one in 4.7 billion. It kind of makes you wonder how much greater the odds are that they should be delivered in 10 minutes.

“The statement, which was issued on Friday, read: “The Woman’s Hospital of Texas, an HCA Houston Healthcare Affiliate, which delivers more babies than any other Texas hospital, early this morning welcomed sextuplets, the odds of which are estimated at one in 4.7 billion.

“Two sets of twin boys and one set of twin girls were born this morning between 4:50 and 4:59 a.m.

“The babies were born at weights ranging from one pound, 12 ounces and two pounds, 14 ounces. They are in stable condition and will continue to receive care in the hospital’s advanced neonatal intensive care unit.

“The medical team of Dr. Ziad Haidar, Dr. Sharmeel Khaira and Dr. Israel Simchowitz say the mother, Thelma Chiaka, is doing well.”

The hospital also included a picture of the medical team taken with the mother. You can actually see the look of relief on her face!

Thelma had named her daughters Zina and Zuriel later that same day but the boys were not yet named.

Sextuplets are exceedingly rare but septuplets take things a step further. A woman in the Diyala Province of Eastern Iraq gave birth to seven babies last month. It is thought that it is the first in the history of the country.

A spokesman for the local health department referred to it as a natural birth and said the unnamed mother was ‘perfectly healthy’ following the deliveries.

That woman may have had the extra baby, but how was she on her timing? Okay, it isn’t a competition and everybody comes out a winner, but this is one for the books.


log in

Become a part of our community!

reset password

Back to
log in