California Woman Gives Birth to Octuplets!

by Jennifer Jordan (Subscribe to Jennifer Jordan's posts) Jan 27th 2009 9:00AM

Categories: Newborns, Pregnancy & Birth, Weird But True

An as-yet-unnamed woman in Belleflower, California became mom to eight -- yes, eight -- babies on Monday. The octuplets, six boys and two girls, were born via C-section at Kaiser Permanente hospital, and all are doing well. The newbies weigh anywhere from one pound fifteen ounces to three pounds four ounces. But the really startling part is this: when the mom and her medical team headed into the delivery room for her scheduled C-section, they were only expecting seven babies! Surprise!

The 46 person team who delivered the babies had practiced ahead of time for this, but they were still startled to find that their baby count was off. "My eyes just got to be like saucers," said Dr. Karen Maples as she realized there was an eighth baby to deliver. At press time, five babies were breathing on their own, two were using respirators, and one needed some other kind of assistance breathing.

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This type of birth is, of course, is somewhat unprecedented. The only other American birth of eight children occurred in 1998 in Texas, and one of the babies sadly died right after birth (the other seven children from that birth recently celebrated their tenth birthdays). The California octuplets are the result of fertility drugs, which, according to Dr. Richard Paulson of the USC medical school's fertility program, is more of a "serious complication" than a medical advancement. The drugs were never intended to result in more than two live births. In many cases, expectant parents are advised to reduce the overall number of embryos to two in order to give those a better chance at survive. This mom, apparently, decided to move forward with all eight.

Congrats to the surprised mom and the entire team of medical professionals who safely and soundly delivered her eight babies into the world!

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Comments (20)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Colleen 1-28-2009 @ 8:54AM

I'm glad that the mom didn't do a reduction!! CONGRATS!
Way to be pro-life!!!!!!!!!

C

reality check 2-01-2009 @ 3:07AM

Anyone supporting this conduct is unbelievably naive. Eight more children to a woman who already has six without being married and is on welfare. What kind of people do you think these babies will grow up to be? Yes, it's possible some of the brood of now 14 might turn out OK, miracles do happen. And sometimes a good child comes out of a home with crappy parenting. But the reality is that most of these kids will be tomorrows future criminals of America and/or more ignorant people depending on those more responsible to support them their entire lives....Only idiots or the ACLU would support this type of person having more children. She should have been neutered after having three and being on welfare...Sorry, that's the price for being a stupid ignorant drain on society. If you feel differently then YOU should pay a special stupid tax to support all deadbeats of the world...PS=God had nothing to do with this, it was simply the will of one foolish, ignorant woman and a greedy, irresponsible doctor who should lose his license to practice medicine.

naturalisbest 1-27-2009 @ 10:38AM

These people are disgusting. Fertility drugs turn human women into brood sows. The doctors are more than willing to take advantage of these selfish fools. These poor babies have life long health problems. Some if not most of these children will die soon. If these people had to have children they could have adopted. Their own selfish desires aided by greedy medical professionals create children with little chance of a normal healthy life.

praisebe 1-27-2009 @ 8:50PM

That is so not true. Plenty of multiple birth children grow up to have very healthy lives. Take, for instance, the Gosselins, who had sextuplets. All of thier children are perfectly fine, and only one needs glasses, and that is only for a slight astigmastism. So to say that they are being greedy and are dooming these children, is just not right. I agree that they could have adopted because there are lots a worthy children wanting a home, but you can't fault her for wanting to have her own. And sure they can "dispose" of extra embryos, but that still is taking away a life. You also have to remember that this woman obviously couldn't have children on her own and removing a baby would be like giving up a chance. I'm not saying that you are completely wrong, but you need to look at both sides of the story. God never gives what you can't handle, which is what I believe. If god didn't want this to happen, it wouldn't have.

Joy 1-27-2009 @ 12:40PM

I'm just not sure this is what God meant to have happen. I feel we are playing around way to much with our genetics sometimes.

Colleen 1-28-2009 @ 9:05AM

Are you sure she had the babies implanted? According to the article, they didn't specify her treatment. I am a pharmacist and the first thing I thought of was Clomid (or the generic).

l am so happy that she didn't kill any of these babies. God is the Creator, we are co-creators! God still is in control!!!!

Nik 1-27-2009 @ 12:54PM

I don't think that when this woman tried fertility drugs that she had planned on getting pregnant with eight children - I'm sure she was just praying for at least one child. However, she did get pregnant with eight children and it's her choice to not want to abort any of them. If she's catholic which I'm thinking she might be, she may not believe in abortion and feels that this was Gods will. So she put it in Gods hands. I think I would have done the same. I can say beyond a shadow of a doubt that I pray to God that I would never get pregnant with eight children - for both my sake and the children's sake but if I did, I wouldn't consider abortion as an option. I would believe that was God's plan and just pray that everything would be ok.

Joy 1-27-2009 @ 2:34PM

You just proved the point I was trying to make Nik. She didn't "plan" to have 8 children. Also, the catholic church does not agree with fertility treatments to begin with. I would never begrudge anyone from having a child but "planting" all these embryos, I don't know, seems selfish to me. What's wrong with just planting one or two? Some of these kids have terrible birth defects and 8 babies at once is just to many.

It's only my opinion of course to which we all are allowed to have.

Michelle 1-27-2009 @ 4:44PM

I blame irresponsible doctors. These super-multiple births happen with fertility drugs alone or with IUI, not from IVF. (I don't think most IVF clinics will transfer more than 3 embryos.) I used fertility drugs at one point and was strictly monitored each month to make sure my ovaries were not going crazy. Had an ultrasound showed more than 2 egg follicles maturing, I would have cancelled the IUI that month. But I went to a reputable fertility clinic - some OBs just hand these meds out with no follow up.

Quad Mama 1-27-2009 @ 8:56PM

Millions of women do fertility treatments, most of them have one baby and nobody judges them, because they don't know they had fertility drugs. People with high order multiples are ridiculed for doing nothing more (and often less) than what women on fertility treatments do all the time resulting in one child. You squawk about a woman's right to choose, unless it comes to choosing to let life flourish in the womb instead of snuffing it out. Hypocrites. Does God not breathe life into a baby no matter how they were conceived? I guarantee you if you take four "naturally" conceived kids and test them against my fertility assisted quadruplets, the tests won't reveal that my kids are made out of tinker toys and matchbox cars, they are flesh and blood.

LS 1-27-2009 @ 9:38PM

I don't think anyone has any problem with her having eight children. It's the carrying of eight children *at once* that concerns many people.

I further don't think any of us have any problems with her using fertility drugs, IVF or whatever else she may choose to do (you can tell I"m not very familiar with these procedures. Apologies if I mess up the names).

What we have the problem with, is risking her own life, and the lives of ALL of her children by taking this kind of chance. I'm sorry, but the human body was not made - by God or anything else - to carry multiple multiple fetuses. Twins is one thing.... triplets is really stretching it. Anything beyond that - your quads included - are certainly a blessing, but not what the body is designed for, and a very risky situation for all involved.

I agree with Joy.... Doctors seem to be messing about with genetics a little too much, for my liking.

SKL 1-27-2009 @ 10:32PM

I think I see a lot of assumptions being made above. Does anyone really know what was done and what decisions were consciously made here?

All I know from what I've read is that 7 babies were discovered via ultrasound and none of them were killed before birth. And that 8 babies were born in better shape than some single births, and last I heard, they were all doing well.

We can say that a positive outcome is not likely, yet so far, it looks like a positive outcome has occurred. There is much we "know," yet much more that we don't know.

Personally, I don't know if I would have tried fertility drugs, but I do believe that I would not have "culled" the embryos/fetuses if I discovered I had more developing than expected, unless I was advised that there was a substantial risk of "my" death otherwise. There is always a risk involved in becoming a mother - no matter how it happens and no matter how babies come along at once. We talk about playing God with fertility drugs, but to me, it's also playing God if we pick and choose which children are going to have a chance at life. I wish this family the best and continue to believe in miracles.

Quad Mama 1-29-2009 @ 7:35PM

Good points all around - damn straight my quads are a blessing...oh, and my twins that were born...my first daughter passed away, my second daughter is a beautiful 5 year old. My quad pregnancy was actually much better, less complicated and the children that resulted from that are in wonderful shape as well. I would love them no matter what shape they are in...Pro-Life Quad Mama.

D 1-30-2009 @ 1:37PM

The woman already has 6 kids, lives with her parents, what a burden to her family! How will she support all these children, or better yet why do we have to support them all!! She is an idiot or somewhat of a puppy mill if you will.......

StephanieInCA 1-30-2009 @ 5:02PM

i wish i could be more enthusiastic about the birth of these octuplets, but i'm not. of course i'm glad they're all alive and healthy (at least for now), but i can't help but feeling like their mother did an increadibly insane/selfish thing. getting pregnant and having a baby you can't support by accident is one thing--it sucks, but it happens. but having eight viable embryos implanted when you already have six children at home? that's just selfish and cruel, if you ask me.

bonnie-87 2-01-2009 @ 1:19AM

Hi this is Bonnie back in my FIRST comments t about the new 8 babies born. I made a mistake I said that the 1st set of octuplets that was born in the United States had died. I AM WRONG ONLY A GIRL DIED.

babiesmama 2-05-2009 @ 1:39PM

God has everything to do with creation! He has enabled the doctors to discover these ways of helping women concieve when they cannot naturally. I did one cycle of IVF and have healthy 9 week old twin boys. It really ticks me off when people "down" fertility treatment because it's not "natural". If your body is capable of receiving help to concieve what is wrong with it? My babies are a blessing from GOD, not the doctors alone, he gave them knowledge and the hands to do the work. I implanted 2 of mine & my husbands own embryos, they both took. My doctor only lets you implant 1 under the age of 25, 2 from 28-32, and 3 for over 33. Maybe she (octuplet mom) was afraid the cycle wouldnt take, she could have implanted 2 embryos and they can split into more from the drugs. Yes this lady had other children, but dont be so crude to judge her. And please don't refer to those of us who underwent fertility treatments as selfish because we want our own flesh and blood or as "brood sows".

Kara 2-06-2009 @ 4:21PM

Ok I have read a few of these coments and no one has even said anything about the fact that she is single, has no job, is on disability,had 6 kids already, and lives with her parents. I know this page said nothing about that but others i have read did. So we the tax payers are now going to have to pay for her to have 14 kids. and these poor kids not only the babies but her other kids how can one woman spend time with all 14 kids the way they need to be. I am sure she has good suport with her parents but still what were they thinking when they let her do this. What i read also said she had most of her kids while on disabilty with a "back injury" I have never been prego but from what i have heard it is not easy on your back. How could she do this if her back was so bad she could not even work and had to get disablity. I have no problem with poeple have lots of kids as long as they are not getting money from the goverment to live. Like the Dugger's they pay for everything with cash and dont get any help from the goverment I have no issue with that. It Is all these people that have lots of kids and wants the goverment to pay for them. Shame on this woman! This is horrible what she did.

stephanie 2-26-2009 @ 7:33AM

Wow some people are so narrowed minded no wonder you have problems in your country, Why does it matter if she has 14 children at least they are all alive and heathy.What happened to the old saying don't judge a book by its cover maybe your country should stick together and lend a hand, your worried about paying for these children through tax, I am glad we can put a price on a life. i think good on her.I would give my last penny to know a child was heathy clean and happy.We are all entiltled to an oppinion but at the end of the day they will go home with their mom and this news will be old news.

Sam 2-09-2009 @ 11:42AM

I feel sorry for the grandparents. They should have let this so called mom raise the other 6 she had on her own, maybe she would not have been so quick to have the 8. She has not been a responsible mother according to the grandmother. I think she should be having a mental evaluation done. Yes, there are a lot of women out there that would have lots of kids if they did not have to take care of them. She makes my stomach turn to watch her on TV about all she wanted was lots of kids. Take the responsibility of raising YOUR first 6 and your YOUR new 8. Just being able to have children does not make you a good mother. Taking care of them and providing for them is what makes a good mother. Also, I believe the only reason she had all of these kids was for profit. I do see that she can afford the weekly fake nails! Maybe welfare can pay for those too?

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