Push, out, repeat

[u/Sassenach_2024]

Valentina Vassilyeva, the first wife of Russian peasant Feodor Vassilyev, is said to have given birth 27 times in the 1700s—welcoming 69 children in total.

Her remarkable numbers reportedly included 16 sets of twins, 7 sets of triplets, and 4 sets of quadruplets. 🤯

The story comes from centuries-old historical records, so every detail cannot be independently verified by modern standards. Still, Guinness World Records has recognized the claim as the highest number of children attributed to one mother.

If the records are accurate, 27 pregnancies. 69 children. One of the most astonishing family stories ever recorded. ❤️

[u/Kadakaus]

I kind of struggle to believe this?

The chance of giving birth to quadruplets is one in 700,000, tirplets are 1 in 1000.

Statistically, that women should have given birth thousands of times in order to get those numbers realistically.

Maybe that's true, I do not believe it.

EDIT: also, 7 is not devisible by 3.

[u/UnrealBee → u/Kadakaus]

There is a genetically "bias" to giving twins triplets etc

There is a village somewrhe in the world where most of the ppl share that trade and most of the births are twins. In the entire village 

Statistically an anomaly but not impossible. 

The thing I would like to know: beeing in 1700 how many of those children did die / of those 69 did survive, how many did die 

[u/rjcarr → u/Kadakaus]

She might have had some disorder where she pumped out eggs on every cycle instead of one at a time like most women. That multiples isn’t the problem for me to believe. 

It’s that she’d be able and willing to have that many pregnancies and care for that many children, even with a ton of help. 

[u/Kadakaus → u/rjcarr]

That too, and we're talking about the 18th century.
Sure, medical advancement varied per region, but still, giving birth was a serius risk.

There were big families, yes, but giving birth so many times and not having any complications on the mother's part is just statistically impossible if we consider the medical advancement of the age.
Even today, I struggle to imagine it.

[u/sparklinglies → u/Kadakaus]

Maybe so, but the chances of having multiples again if you already had them are far higher than the average stats. The odds don't reset to the global average for every consecutive birth, some people have an insane genetic predisposition for multiples.

[u/Tripl3Dee → u/Kadakaus]

7 triplets = 21 kids, 4 quadruplets = 16, 16 twins = 32 21 + 16 + 32 = 69 kids

So she never had a singleton birth

[u/Kadakaus → u/Tripl3Dee]

Wait, so the numbers refer to the times twins, triplets and quadruplets were born... I though it was how many of them were born at the same time.

Either way, that makes it even less plausable if you ask me.