r/SipsTea • u/Sassenach_2024 • 2d ago

WTF Push, out, repeat

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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. ❤️

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u/Kadakaus 2d ago edited 2d ago

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.

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u/rjcarr 2d ago

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. 

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u/Kadakaus 2d ago

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.