Octuplets born in California doing 'very well'

[Anonymous]

20:54 hit the nail on the head though oftentimes the doctors cancel these cycles when they see so many follicles only to have the patient take it upon themselves to have sex and "see what happens."

And I do agree with the PP who called this woman selfish. She is beyond lucky to carry 8 babies to 31 weeks and the outcome is still unclear. Why would you jeopardize your life like that? We all know the outcome of higher order multiples (5, 6, 7+) is most often not good, and even when all babies survive their quality of life is severely compromised. And yet there are shows like John & Kate +8 that glorify these pregnancies.

The fertility doctors that get these women pregnant should be shunned by their colleagues. It's disgraceful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

It wasn't in vitro or anything?

In vitro is actually a very controlled process with extremely low odds of anything more than triplets (and in the vast majority of cases anything more than twins).
Crazy higher order multiples are the result of poorly monitored IUIs (artificial insemination) or clomid use. Or maybe some really freakish natural fertility but I doubt it.

All the best to them! wow.

I agree, it probably wasn't IVF. No clinic I have heard about in the US would transfer 8 plus embryos.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any expression of a controversial opinion inevitably brings the moniker "troll." Sigh...Is it worth explaining?

I know that I would not allow 8 embryos to be implanted in my womb, no matter the magnitude of my desperation to bear biological children. Not taking their health into account is simply selfish. All the forthcoming impassioned protests to the contrary will not change that fact or the developmental and physical challenges these children will have to confront.

You're assuming the mom knew this was all happening. Perhaps she was given mis information, perhaps the doctor/lab technician were faulty in their professional roles.
The doctor seems a little fishy in that he/she didn't take the correct oversight or the effort to monitor it to ensure things like this (too many births) don't happen.

Besides, if you were this woman, could you play God and decide whether to terminate baby A, B, C, D, E, F, G, or H simply because it was a high risk pregnancy? Especially since the doctors had been giving you encouraging news (the pregnancy was only 9 weeks early) about the babies and the pregnancy. So, all the moms (and dads) going through a high risk pregnancy should terminate because of the potential for bad health (and given the marvels of modern medicine....!)?

On the contrary, I think this mom is courageous. She has probably been on bed rest for weeks, has stretch marks all over, has been wondering and worrying about her babies (don't we all when we're pregnant?), probably been feeling kicks and jabs for the last week (8x), and is now coping with the bfing, adjusting to the post partem hormones), and all the other physical, emotional, and financial burndens of motherhood.

[Anonymous]

When you think it's all over, it has only begun

[Anonymous]

People are crazy. The best way to have 8 babies is to do it one at a time

[Anonymous]

Not ready to slam the mom here and I am still confused as to why others feel the need to do so. Serious question-how do you BF eight babies? Can the mother produce enough milk for all of them or do they automatically go to formula feedings?

[Anonymous]

while I am sure she could produce enough milk, who has time to nurse 8 newborns? You can do two at a time, but it would still be non stop.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel for the poor babies who have been born to such selfish parents.

what a jerky thing to say. this poor woman could of had a reduction. instead she decided tohave all kids. she risked so much even her own life. these kids came at 32 weeks and are healthy. she is a saint.

[Anonymous]

I'm not the pp but I think it's selfish on many levels. Multiples will have physiological problems, probs with organs, physical disabilities. With 8(!) babies, they won't get adequate individual attention to develop their brains. On top of that, OVERPOPULATION. Hello!

I find this absolutely irresponsible on the part of the parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People are crazy. The best way to have 8 babies is to do it one at a time

like she had a choice! are you dumb?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:while I am sure she could produce enough milk, who has time to nurse 8 newborns? You can do two at a time, but it would still be non stop.

So she will have to pump and bottle feed(obviously with help)?! My goodness, God bless her and daddy too.

[Anonymous]

Um, yes. Thank god she did have a choice. But I fear if women and docs like this keep abusing clomid, the cost on society will be so great, the reproductive technologies many of us depend and use responsibly on will be outlawed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People are crazy. The best way to have 8 babies is to do it one at a time

like she had a choice! are you dumb?

Of COURSE she had a choice. Are you dumb?

[Anonymous]

"Um, yes. Thank god she did have a choice. But I fear if women and docs like this keep abusing clomid, the cost on society will be so great, the reproductive technologies many of us depend and use responsibly on will be outlawed."

IUI is not an exact science. RE's have gotten better at putting safeguards in place to avoid HOM but the risk is still there. While the chances of this occuring naturally are almot non existent it is still very rare for this to happen with IUI or other treatments as well. The big spikes are in twin or triplet pregnancies not HOM. Would you outlaw fertility for all women to protect against a small risk? Should any mother facing a similar small risk ..age factor risk for genetic disorders, pre-existing medical condition that might increase chances of PE or GD, previous PTL etc be barred from conceiving unless she agreed to abort if genetic problems or complications presented themselves? Selective reduction is no different than termination for genetic problems. Its a personal moral choice that we protect for all women.

Without digging into the person's private medical files you have no idea whether the doctor acted outside standard practice. Its quite disgusting IMO to start assuming you know more than you do, criticizing the parents for being selfish, and showing no empathy for the challenging situation they face.

[Anonymous]

In defense of the doctors--it's possible she got clomid over the internet and showed up at the OB already pregnant with 8. If she's pro-life there's not much they could do.