For This Woman, Six Sets of Twins is a Curse -- Not a Blessing

Gladys Bulinya has 12 children, all of them non-identical twins born, but in her home region in western Kenya, twins are seen as a curse.

Her family has disowned her, and the three fathers of her children have all walked away, leaving her to fend for herself. Now aged 35, Mrs Bulinya has recently undergone sterilisation surgery, despite it being against her religion. "I am a Catholic. When I made the decision I asked for God's forgiveness and I am sure God understands and will forgive me for doing that," she told the BBC. Her first twins, boys named John and James, were born when she was in high school. Her boyfriend was too young to care for them, and her own family said she should give both up for adoption as twins were signs of bad luck. Her boyfriend's family eventually agreed to care for her and the boys, before she married a schoolteacher and gave birth to Duncan and Dennis in 1999. Again, her husband's family chased her away and her own mother and father arranged for her to marry another man 20 years older than her. He finally left last year after the birth of her sixth set of twins, Baraka and Prince, last year. Mrs Bulinya says she has no regrets, but said that she struggles to feed the 10 children - six girls and four boys - still living with her. Her eldest boys have already moved out. Medical experts said that a mother who has non-identical twins has a higher chance of going on to produce more twins during future pregnancies.

People in this village believe twins bring bad luck and unless one of them dies, it will certain death for one or both parents.

PS: She's pictured, above with 10 of her children; the two eldest have moved out


source