Mexican woman claims to be pregnant with nine babies

A Mexican woman claims to be pregnant with nine babies – just months after she gave birth to triplets.

Karla Vanessa Perez Castaneda, in an interview with Mexico's main broadcaster Televisa, spoke of her surprise at discovering she was carrying so many babies.

"It's miraculous. Doctors tell me there are six girls and three boys," she said. "It's much too early to start thinking about names for them all. I just hope that everything goes well."

Mrs Perez fell pregnant shortly after giving birth to triplets – two girls and a boy – on November 4 last year. She and her husband already have a four-year-old boy.

The babies are due to be delivered by caesarean section on May 20 when she reaches the seventh month of pregnancy.

"The doctors have scheduled that date but if all looks good they may hold on for another month when the babies are more developed so they can spend less time incubated," the 32-year-old said.

The successful delivery of nonuplets would be one of the highest multiple births ever recorded.

In January 2009, a woman in California gave birth to octuplets after fertility treatment, sparking worldwide media attention. Dubbed "Octomom" Nadya Suleman gave birth to six boys and two girls.

Mrs Perez, from Arteaga in the northeastern state of Coahuila, which borders Texas, said she had gone public with her news in the hope that she would receive some extra support from the state.

"We currently live with my in-laws and my husband doesn't make so much money as a tire fitter so I think we're going to need extra help with hospital costs and everything," she explained.

Ernesto Cepeda Valdes, the mayor of the city, pledged to give the family all necessary help. "We will be like godparents to those babies and give all the support we can," he said.