medpundit |
||
|
Monday, May 30, 2005Having given birth to quadruplets in August, the 26-year-old Queensland mother is now pregnant with another four, due in December. As if that were not enough, she and her husband Darren, 34, a security guard, are also proud parents of a two-year-old daughter, Shelby. The couple went to great lengths to conceive this second set - relying on IVF and sperm donorship. They already spend 4,000 pounds a year on baby supplies. But there's a bright side (aside from the nontangibles that children bring): The upside is financial. Under Australian social services provisions, designed to encourage larger families, the Chalks will receive a baby bonus of nearly £7,000 for their next batch of children. In addition, they will be showered with supplies by companies eager to milk the enormous publicity potential. They are nowhere near the record holder for multiple births, though: The world championship for multiple births, however, is generally awarded to the Vassiliev family of Russia. Between 1725 and 1765, Mrs Vassiliev had four sets of quads, seven sets of triplets and 16 sets of twins. Mr Vassiliev then remarried and had 18 children in eight pregnancies with his second wife. When this prodigious feat of breeding eventually came to the notice of the Tsarist Government in St Petersburg, 83 of Mr Vassiliev’s 87 children were alive. Not sure I believe that one, but there you are. posted by Sydney on 5/30/2005 08:02:00 AM 0 comments 0 Comments: |
|