In an interview on August 29, 2024, Alhaji Yahaya Nafiu, an Islamic cleric from the Republic of Benin, claimed that his wife’s pregnancy lasted for three and a half years and that she gave birth to 11 babies in two separate deliveries. According to Nafiu, his wife first delivered six babies on July 6 and 7, 2024, followed by another five on August 14.
However, experts categorically refute this claim. Dr. James Odofin, a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist, explains that it is biologically impossible for a pregnancy to last beyond the typical nine months. He cites the natural aging process of the placenta, which can only sustain a pregnancy for up to 42 weeks. Any claim of a pregnancy lasting several years is deemed scientifically and physiologically impossible.
Dr. Egbogu Stanley, another expert in obstetrics, concurs, stating that a pregnancy exceeding nine months would result in the death of the fetus. He also suggests that the story might be fabricated, as no medical evidence supports such a prolonged pregnancy.
Overall, while the account of 11 babies being born is within the realm of possibility, the duration of the pregnancy as claimed is not supported by medical science.