Join us as we delve into the story of a young mother who allegedly gave birth to 17 children at once. Several posts on Facebook have circulated a composite photo featuring manipulated images, falsely claiming this remarkable feat. It is important to note that this story originated from a satirical website, and the claim is entirely false. The record for the most children delivered from a single pregnancy is held by American "octuplet mother" Nadya Suleman, who gave birth to eight children.
Misleading posts, such as the one shared by a Sri Lankan Facebook user on June 12, 2019, have spread the composite image, combining a photo of a heavily pregnant woman and a picture of a man in a hospital setting surrounded by babies. The text accompanying the image praises Catherine Bridge for supposedly setting a world record by delivering 17 babies, all boys.
Similar claims have circulated online since at least 2016, but it's important to highlight that they are entirely false.
Further investigation reveals that the image of the pregnant woman in the misleading post has been digitally manipulated to exaggerate her pregnancy. The original photo, found on a social network for artists in August 2015, differs significantly from the manipulated version.
Similarly, the image of the man in the green hospital uniform, found on the Facebook page of a doctor named Robert Biter in 2012, has been falsely associated with the claim.
A keyword search of the text in the misleading posts led to an article published on the satirical website World Daily News Report in February 2014. The article, titled "USA: Mother Gives Birth to 17 Babies at Once," mocks the idea of a woman breaking the record for the most babies born in a single pregnancy.
It is crucial to note that the World Daily News Report clearly states that its articles are satirical and fictitious.
This incident is not the first time hoaxes regarding record-breaking births have circulated on the internet. Guinness World Records confirms that Nadya Suleman holds the legitimate record for delivering the most children from one pregnancy, with eight babies born in January 2009.
