Single Mom Gives Birth to 44 Children by the Time She's 40, Doctors Forbid Her to Have More

A single mother of 38 kids endured a struggling childhood and lost her siblings when she was young. Her stepmother poisoned her five brothers, and she only survived because she was visiting a relative at the time.

A mother's love for her children is everlasting, and a Ugandan mom has proven this theory right. Mariam Nabatanzi is a single mother living with her large brood in the impoverished Kasawo village near the Ugandan capital of Kampala.

She was only 12 when she was sold into marriage to a man almost four times her age. She gave birth to her first set of twins a year later, followed by quadruplets, triplets, and more twins.

THE WORLD'S MOST FERTILE WOMAN

Nabatanzi suffered from a rare genetic condition called "hyper ovulation," characterized by many eggs. The doctors told her that resorting to birth control methods could cause severe problems for her oversized ovaries.

After her first set of twins, she continued to have babies. By the time she was 36, Nabatanzi had given birth to 44 kids, out of which only 38 survived. Sadly, her unreliable husband walked out on her and her kids six years ago, leaving them to fend for themselves.

Dubbed as the "world's most fertile woman," Nabatanzi has three sets of quadruplets, four sets of triplets, and six sets of twins. She works diligently to make ends meet and provide for her enormous brood.

A HARD-WORKING SINGLE PARENT

Nabatanzi works as a hairstylist and event organizer and gathers and sells scrap metal to provide for her kids. She also brews and sells her local gin and makes herbal medicine.

Also known as "Mama Uganda," Nabatanzi wishes her children a happy and prosperous life.

The affectionate mother wishes for her kids to have a life full of opportunities. She spends a large portion of her money on food, medical care, clothes, and her kids' education. Pictures of some of her kids graduating from school hang on the walls of her home.

A LIFE FULL OF STRUGGLES

She and her kids live in harsh conditions and are cramped up in four tiny homes. The homes are made from cement bricks with an iron roof, and coffee fields surround them. Her kids are aware of her struggles, one of whom expressed:

"Mum is overwhelmed, the work is crushing her, we help where we can, like in cooking and washing, but she still carries the whole burden for the family. I feel for her."

Nabatanzi endured a miserable childhood. Her mother abandoned her and her siblings only three days after Nabatanzi's birth. Her father re-married, and her stepmom poisoned Nabatanzi's five brothers by mixing glass pieces in their food.

A LARGE FAMILY

The heartbroken woman recalled that she was seven years old then and too young to fathom what death meant.

After a childhood of loss and heartbreak, Nabatanzi yearned to have a family of her own. She only wished for six children, but her genetic condition complicated things, contributing to her vast brood.

Ugandan households comprise large families, with women having 5.6 kids on average. However, Nabatanzi's family was much larger than the standard family size in her hometown.

SEEKING MEDICAL HELP

Nabatanzi was 23 and already a mother to 25 kids when she sought help from her doctor to stop having more children. But due to her high ovary count, she was told the best thing for her was to keep getting pregnant.

She lost one of her twins the last time she was pregnant nearly six years ago. It was also the time when her husband left her and her children. The single mother was glad he was gone, as she was finally free from his abuse.

Doctors sprung into action after her last child was born and stopped her from having more children. Nabatanzi explained that they cut her uterus from inside. Her children sleep on metal bunk beds, share mattresses on the floor or sleep in the dirt.

MAMA UGANDA

Nabatanzi's four tiny homes have walls caked with dirt and grime, and the space is insufficient to fit everyone. Her kids help her with the house chores. According to a message written on the board in their home, Nabatanzi and the kids work together on Saturdays.

The large family survives on 25kgs of maize flour daily, including occasional fish and meat. Also known as "Mama Uganda," Nabatanzi wishes her children a happy and prosperous life.

Here's another story you might like about a devoted great-grandma who, like Nabatanzi, wanted the best for her grandkids but was going through a financial crisis. But that changed when a guardian angel decided to help her. Read the full story here.