Gave birth to 69 children, left her husband, who was the most large Russian woman

In the Guinness Book of records referred to the most incredible achievements. Started in the Russian Valentina Vasilyeva, which for 40 years, gave birth to 69 children. But is this possible, and what we know about the fate of Valentina?

About Fyodor Vasilyev first told the world the British magazine the Gentleman's Magazine in 1783. In the article stated that the English merchant sent his family a letter: in it, he talked about a Russian peasant who was to represent the Empress Catherine II.

The attention of the authorities 75 years Vasilyev has attracted its achievements in the field of childbirth: Theodore was 87 children, of whom survived 84. From his first wife, the farmer caught on 69 of them: his wife gave birth to 16 pairs of twins, seven triplets and four quadruplets. When she failed to give birth, Vasilyev married again — so there were 18 babies: six pairs of twins and two triplets.

Mentioned Vasiliev and Russian documents. In the second volume of the book of major-General Ivan Boltina "notes on the history of ancient and present-day Russia G. Leclercq," shows the figures, identical with those of the British publication. "This authentic specimen of fertility worthy of curiosity," wrote Boltin.

However, much more interest is not Fyodor, after all, conceiving a child is simple enough. Genghis Khan, for example, there was much more — a few hundred. But one thing, when wives and concubines at the same scores. But how one woman managed to give birth to 69 children?

Wife of Feodor Vasilyev got into the Guinness Book of records as the most prolific mother, but despite this, even her name is unknown: there are only unsubstantiated allegations that girl Valentina. So who was this woman, and whether it existed at all?

If you believe the historical documents, Valentina Vasilyeva gave birth 27 times between 1725 and 1765. 69 children for 40 years — this could not fail to attract attention!

The French Academy of Sciences became interested in the "specimen of fertility", but in 1878 the medical journal The Lancet wrote that at the request of scientists of the Russian Academy of Sciences just announced that it Vasilyev located in Moscow under the auspices of the government of the Russian Empire.

In other words, no evidence of record Valentina, except for the monastery of the records referred to Baltini, no. Even life expectancy Vasilyeva really know nothing: in some sources it is said that she died at age 40, after which Theodore married again in other — she lived to be 76 years old, but left her husband before.

He didn't mind (after all the wife could not give birth), because I didn't want to stay in the family Vasilyev came Anna, the farmer who gave birth to 18 children.

However, the history of Valentina Vasilyeva so interesting that the researchers returned to it after centuries. In 2015 BBC published an investigation of Adam Hadhazy, who appealed for help to the experts reproduction.

They were unanimous: this can not be! According to their calculations it turned out that Valentine was continuously pregnant for 18 years — it sounded too fantastic. Especially the woman probably fed babies, which reduced the chances of ovulation and frequent pregnancies.

In addition to doubts about your ability to get pregnant with such regularity experts spoke about what to make is the number of children in the eighteenth century was extremely difficult.

Pregnancy is a significant challenge for women and twins or triplets load on the body increases. So Vasiliev, experts say, is unlikely to have been able to maintain the ability to conceive so often and especially to have children for two decades.

Medicine of that time also left much to be desired. For example, if the birth was slow, then accelerating them, forcing her husband three times to climb standing between the legs of the mother. If the child was wrong (feet forward or bent), the woman was pulled from the Board: put the Board diagonally to the wall, put the girl head down and gave her the slip — it was thought that the shake-up will help your child to improve.

It is obvious that such methods medical help is not much help, and, therefore, all 27 times Valentine had to give away without a hitch, which seems unlikely.

Besides, the woman was a peasant, and, therefore, poorly fed and constantly engaged in hard work, returning to work a few days after birth. Rarely in some rural girls gone uterine prolapse, and to conceive of him is not so easy, and the chances of miscarriage is much increased.

Doctors say that triplets or quadruplets are almost always born to term, that is premature. This now these kids know how to nurse: before weak kids simply "perenaisele", dragging through the gates of the shirt from top to bottom, symbolizing the return of the child to another world and his re-birth.

Remained open and the question of how of the 69 children survived 67. Certain medications at the time, was more like a poison potion for example, "gnawing feeling" was treated oat horse manure mixed with mother's milk. In the course of had the nipples of puppets with naevana bread: wash them often, and they soon became bacterial bombs.

Childcare for younger children instructed elders, and those running away to friends, often throwing kids alone. This led to accidents: the child could, for example, to grab the horse's tail that ended in injury or death. It so happened that playing with fire youngster has set the house on fire and died in the fire.

We can assume that the Vasiliev family was wealthy and Valentina had less to work with and the food for mother and children, everything was better than in the average peasant "cell of society." But judging by the known facts, it is not so: at least one of the sons Vasilyev, Alexey, had been given to other people, as parents could not feed all offspring.

In the Guinness Book of records States that the achievement Valentina Vasilyeva should be taken with skepticism. However, it does not deny it. Why?

The explanation is simple, and it sounds like the final of the famous joke: "by coincidence". Accidents must have a few dozen, but each of them seems at least unlikely, but plausible.

The number of pregnancies fits in the time interval. Your Valentine could turn out to be phenomenally healthy and fertile. It is not excluded that almost all children are fortunate enough not to become victims of diseases or traditional education of those times.

Besides what was to falsify the monastic records? To report on the miracle of fertility? But it would be quickly exposed in Moscow. Meanwhile, according to the paper, The Lancet, the government patronized Vasiliev. The couple took to his other children, giving them a family? But what was the point if they couldn't feed everyone and were forced to send their sons to other families?

On the one hand, the story Vasilyeva like hit by bombs in a funnel 27 times in a row. On the other – not broken any laws because it looks very strange, but more or less plausible.

Surprisingly, Valentina date: in 2017, the media reported that he died of a large Palestinian woman whose story is similar to life Vasilyeva. A woman from Gaza also gave birth to 69 children, and died in 40 years: as we know, this is one version of the ending of the life of Valentina.

There is no evidence of the "miracle of fertility": to get into the Guinness Book of records, the family did not claim, and therefore on the number of children known only from the words of the husband. Maybe someday there will be new documents that shed light on the fate of a large peasant. But while she will remain for us a "record holder schrödinger": maybe it was, maybe not.