VietNamNet Bridge – Mr. Do Ngoc Nam, 43 and his wife Huynh Thi Lac, 47, are known for having the most children of any family in Central Vietnam.

The house of the couple with 14 children.

This couple’s house is located behind mountains in Ba Huong village of Tra Dong commune, Bac Tra My district of Quang Nam province. They are surrounded by poverty but since their marriage in 1992, Mrs. Lac has delivered a child nearly every year. They have 13 children, plus a one child she had with a former husband.

With so many children, sometimes Nam calls his children the wrong name.

Lac said that after having the fifth child, she decided to have no more children. "At that time women were urged to use contraceptive methods. I went to the local clinic twice, but the doctor said there was something wrong with my ligament so they could not put a coil in," she recalled.

Nam also wanted to have more children, so from 1998 to 2002, the couple had four more.

"I gave birth very easily. Ten of my children were born at home,” Lac said.

Mr. Do Ngoc Nam, 43, the father of 14 children.

The couple has eight sons and six daughters. The youngest is about 20 months old. Two daughters are married. Up to 16 people are living in their small house, including their daughters-in-law and grandchildren. The most valuable asset of the family is a buffalo worth about VND25 million ($2,100).

The house was built in 2005 and does not have valuable furniture. There is only one bed for Lac and her small children. Others have to sleep on sedge mats on the floor.

Nam said each day the family needs about 6 kg of rice. They can produce rice for two months every year. They grow vegetables in the garden and go fishing along streams so they don’t have to purchase food. Occasionally they buy meat from the market. The clothes and books for their children mainly come from neighbors and relatives.

Each day the family needs about 6 kg of rice.

"Children are a godsend. I did not want to have more but I became pregnant by accident so I still had to give birth," Lac said with a smile. "The happiest thing for us is that our children are very docile and obedient. They have never been sick at all."

Duong Minh Anh, Chairman of Tra Dong Commune, said that the local authorities had repeatedly sent staff to encourage the couple to use contraceptive methods but they failed.

"Since they delivered the 14th child nearly two years ago, Lac was given guidance to prevent pregnancy by medical injections. Perhaps they will not have any more children," he said.

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