Octuplet babies and other curiosities

If you've been following the news at all, you've probably heard a little bit about the California mom with new octuplet babies and six other kids at home. It's been interesting to read people's reactions to this family. The story we have today contrasts this case to other families with higher-order multiples, calling it a PR calamity. Our weekend feature probed the ethical quandaries that surround this sort of mega-high-risk pregnancy.

It seems that while most users who comment on this story find it an odd choice to have eight babies at once when you already have six children at home, there is a furious debate going on among commenters. Many are concerned with the high cost of bearing and delivering the children. Others wonder what fertility specialist implanted that many embryos, if that was in fact the case, or gave her such a high dose of follicle-stimulating drugs, if that was the approach taken.

Naturally, whether or not the woman should have opted to reduce the number of embryos is a hot-button ethical issue. The woman's religion could have made that out of the question for her.

Many others are wondering who is going to foot the bill for raising the children. And one thing is for certain, the public just has not received this California mom with the warm-heartedness usually afforded this sort of brood. Because of that, there just hasn't - apparently - been the windfall of mini-vans, diapers, cribs, formula and other baby supplies.

I'd like to throw it out there that while we may question her sanity - especially those of us getting our butts kicked by having just one or two children, myself included - we can't really know her circumstances or her motivations. At least not until she does a tell-all interview with People magazine or the like.

What do you think?

OTHER MATTERS...

At the risk of making any kind of crass comparison to these eight babies and other parts of the animal world, I wanted to point out a couple of great things on our sites to share with your kids. I am working from home today because one of my children has croup (this oddly Victorian virus - with its conjured notions of mustard plasters and blood-letting - has visited our house twice in two months) and I'm planning to show Cameron this star.com story on a prehistoric snake the size of a T-rex. For the fan of all things outer space, there's also this amazing story about Humber students communicating with the International Space Station. And finally, Google Earth has expanded tremendously, allowing users to dive under the ocean and much, much more. Enjoy!

Comments

[Carolyn]

This woman used a neighbours sperm to have 14 of his children by invitro. Her mother declared bankruptcy a year or so ago and right now 9 of them share a 2-bedroom apartment..which means there will be 17 of them when the 8 come out of hospital. I am GLAD to hear corporations staying away from REWARDING this woman for her irresponsible acts of (1) putting all these children into possible poverty with her and (2) putting the LIVES of the eight transferred embryo-children in possible Health trouble for the rest of their Lives. Given that 6 children under the age of 8 were already depending on her.. why would she and the participating doctors allow/want this to happen??

[Tammy MacKenzie]

This is indeed an interesting and controversial situation! I only hope, in the end, that the children receive appropriate care and attention. There are bits and pieces of information, and much speculation. Fingers are being pointed at the mother and the doctor(s) involved with varying degrees and intensity. And there are many unanswered questions... Why is this woman having so many children? Is it truly a love of children, or might there be some issues at play? If this single mom of 6 is living with her mother in a 2-bedroom apartment, how was she able to afford the treatments and procedures that resulted in the octuplet birth? It's not cheap.
I understand that people are leery of appearing to "reward" this woman by providing freebies and all, but then again, what about the babies? It's a bit of a dilemma.
I am generally opposed to interference, especially based on sensationalism and media attention, but perhaps in this case it would be wise for child advocacy agencies to be looking into this situation; there are, after all, 14 children involved, 8 of whom are newborns, and this woman and her mother can not care for them all without significant help.

[Tammy MacKenzie]

Brandie, sorry to hear your little guy has the croup - brings back memories: Vick's in the vapourizer, chest plasters, and plenty of tea with honey and lemon. And that seal-bark cough...
Hope he gets better fast,
take care,
Tammy

[jessica]

I think this is crazy that the entire nation is hysterical about this woman having 14 children. She is not the only one there are lots of people out there who have to many children an lots of parents that don't even take care of their children. I am not advocating what this woman has done but we are not able to see everything that is going on in this country. Take a look at some of the projects where you have 5 or more families living in a one or two bedroom apartment, this is no worse, children living in filth with parents who are alcoholics an druggies, why is it that we are not focusing on families like that. However the entire nation is concerned with this woman. I think as long as her children are being taken care of an they are safe an sound she should not be under the spotlight for this. I do not in any way think this is ok, I think that the doctors who did this for her should be under the spotlight more then she should. What were medical specialist thinking when they implanted 6 embryos into this woman (the average is 2 embryos). I don't understand why they are not in some kind of trouble over this. I see doctors get in trouble for making natural human errors but these doctors did this on purpose an knowingly an knew the risk that were at hand an still followed along an did this. I think the whole situatin is out of control an ya know maybe she's not going to get donations an all that but she is still going to get paid big bucks to come on all these shows an tell her story...

[Natasha]

I discussed this on my blog. At the time I wrote my post, we did not know much about the situation. I suspected that she had an unhappy childhood and was using children to fill the love void within her. Later, that's exactly what she said. Ahhh, it feels good to be so right. ;-p