The first childbirth in her life turned into a real nightmare. The woman didn’t get out of bed and was under round-the-clock medical observation. The day after the children were born, the happy mother found herself on the operating table, undergoing multiple surgical procedures. However, the babies, on the contrary, were born healthy and strong, albeit slightly premature.
French press of the late 80s dubbed her “Mom Baby Boom.” 28-year-old Marie-Claude Adam became the first Frenchwoman to give birth to 6 children at once. To understand how rare this phenomenon is, let’s mention that the second and last case of sextuplet birth in France happened in 2020.
Spouses Daniel and Marie-Claude Adam got married on December 9, 1979. She had just turned 19, he was significantly older. The husband and wife decided not to delay having children, especially since their financial situation allowed it. Daniel had just been promoted to a managerial position at Renault plant before the wedding.
They live in a small town in their native Normandy, where they bought a large and spacious house on mortgage. But Marie-Claude couldn’t get pregnant.
For 9 long years, she spent all her time, energy, and family budget on gynecologists. She was treated by various doctors, from provincial physicians to capital’s specialists. No pathologies were found in her or her husband, doctors just shrugged their shoulders.
In 1987, one of the local acquaintances recommended her doctor. Later, everyone would criticize this Norman doctor for his treatment methods, but strangely enough, they worked.
Marie-Claude Adam underwent several courses of hormonal therapy, which would later affect her health. But in early 1988, the attending physician delighted the expectant mother: you’re pregnant, and with twins!
However, the joy was short-lived. Soon, the pregnancy had to be terminated for medical reasons. But hope remained.
And a few months later, 29-year-old Marie-Claude became pregnant again. And this time the doctor initially “spotted” 10 embryos in her. The case was unique, so the best French obstetricians learned about the supermom, and she was subsequently observed in Paris.
On December 22, she was hospitalized, and on January 14, 1989, at 32 weeks of pregnancy, through a cesarean section, 6 premature babies were born.
Four girls and two boys. Let’s list their names and birth weights in order of “seniority”:
Cedric – 1410 grams
Gael – 1490 grams
Coralie – 1380 grams
Melanie – 1320 grams
Kevin – 1440 grams
Doriana – 1450 grams.
The children were immediately placed in incubators, but the doctors were initially optimistic. The babies had no pathologies, were all active, and would gain weight under supervision.
It was a different story for the mother. Marie-Claude underwent several major surgeries on her spine and internal organs. Ten years later, in one interview, she admitted that the consequences of a difficult pregnancy and hormonal therapy still affect her to this day.
The mother and newborns were discharged after a month. But even before the birth, she became a star of the French media. Paparazzi besieged the maternity ward, and one of them even managed to sneak into the closed medical institution and photograph Marie-Claude lying in the ward after the surgeries. The photos appeared on TV, but then they were withdrawn amid scandal.
The attention of the press and television played a favorable role. The employer of the sextuplets’ father, Renault, became the collective “godfather” of the children. Many companies and public organizations in their native Normandy also provided material assistance. However, later the family moved to the south, to the city of Narbonne on the Mediterranean coast.
In one interview, Marie-Claude recounted that having six twins is not only happiness for parents but also a complete lack of free time, rest, and counting every penny. Yes, sponsors provided three double strollers, gave parents diapers, toys for the babies, and various treats, organized entertainment for the children, but everything else had to be bought by themselves.
