Birth Of Octuplets Spurs Debate

   By drodriguez  Feb 01, 2009
155

One young mother and her eight new babies are causing quite a stir in the news recently.  Because of the details surrounding Nadya Suleman’s case, the ethics involved in the birth of her octuplets has become much debated over.  Suleman, who is a 33-year-old single mother of six children from previous in-vitro procedures, currently lives with her parents.

Nadya Suleman's mother, Angela Suleman, has expressed concern over her daughter’s actions and recently told the Associated Press that she was not supportive of her decision to have more children.  Angela Suleman has told the press that her daughter was obsessed with having children and has talked about it since she was a teenager.

The Associated Press reports that all of the 8 babies, 6 boys and 2 girls, were delivered by Cesarean section.  The babies weighed anywhere between 1 pound, 8 ounces and 3 pounds, 4 ounces.  Seven of the eight babies are breathing on their own while one remains on a respirator.  It took 46 doctors and staff to assist in the delivery of these octuplets. 

Much of the recent debate has been about whether doctors should have offered the 33-year-old mother of six the option to undergo in-vitro fertilization treatment.  Ethicists also question why the doctors would have implanted so many embryos.  And still others worry about how the mother will raise 14 children, now ranging in age from newborn to 7 years old and whether she will end up relying on public assistance.

A former caregiver to Nadya Suleman’s autistic son, Yolanda Garcia, spoke with the Long Beach Press-Telegram about the mother’s recent delivery.  She said, “From what I could tell back then, she was pretty happy with herself, saying she liked having kids and she wanted 12 kids in all.” 

What do you think of the news about the recent octuplet birth?

Do you think doctors are at fault for allowing this mother to receive fertility treatment?



 

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longstory by longstory | VIRGIN, UT
Feb 11, 2009

I think she should give 8 babies up for adoption for those who couldn't have babies.

perfectlyflawed by perfectlyflawed | Carlisle, PA
Feb 10, 2009

I don't think there is anything wrong with the fact that she loves kids, but I think it's wrong that she has so many at once endangering their health. I also thing that if she's just doing it for public support then this is wrong. I think the doctors should have known not to do this, I mean legally in medicine they do not have to treat her.

beachdreamer by beachdreamer | Boonton, NJ
Feb 10, 2009

I agree with tpoole, the doctor who did these implants should definately loose his/her license. She already has the responsibility of raising six children by herself which already is very demanding. Did the doctor think of the existing six children before agreeing to do this? How unfair is this to them? One person cannot possibly properly care for 14 toddlers and infants either emotionally or in this mothers case financially. This was total irresponsibility on all those involved!!

hubsmom by hubsmom | New Kensington, PA
Feb 10, 2009

I believe a woman has the right to as many children as she wants providing she is able to afford them and is a good parent. I think though that one could harldy be a good parent to this many children.As a result of the actions of this woman and her doctor, the taxpayers will be taking care of all these children. And she appears to just expect her mother to help her.She just should not have had more children and her doctor should have said "NO"

Angelbeck80 by Angelbeck80 | BEAVER FALLS, PA
Feb 10, 2009

She seems unstable. I feel bad for the children. I also feel bad for taxpayers in California.

stronghurstgirl1957 by stronghurstgirl1957 | GAINESVILLE, FL
Feb 09, 2009

It makes me mad just thinking about her having 14 childrean and not working. She says that she will not go on welfare. Will she is already getting food stamps and disablity payments for some of the children. But she doesnt see this as being on welfare. She just see it as programs that people can get help from. Lets put it straight, she will be on welfare and the tax payers will be paying for it.

ihavebabygiggles by ihavebabygiggles | bridgeport, WV
Feb 09, 2009

My first thought is SHAME on the Doctors...their job is to do no harm...and implanting that many embryo's can and does do harm. When i was considering IVF our doctor stated he would put back no more then 2 fertilized embryos unless we were willing to selectively reduce down to 2 babies if we had more then 2 take and he would not put back as many as we wanted anyway even w/ permission by us to reduce. my second thought is how did she pay for the procedure....w/ 6 kids already and not being employed...just doesn't make calculate for me....IVF is expensive and so is storage. lastly, i just don't feel she should have the children if she can't provide. shame on her for not thinking of the children and only of herself. i haven't heard what deficiencies the babies have or may have in the futre, but they will have some problems...at least some of them.

gordon24nfn by gordon24nfn | Fort Wayne, IN
Feb 09, 2009

I have sooo many things I could say about this I just don't even know where to start.... 1. where did she get the funding to have the procedure in the first place? 2. what doctor in their right mind would have done this? 3. how does she plan to support these children? 4. did she not consider the first 6 children and the life they lead? 5. how does she plan to support these kids?(oops, I'm repeating myself) I could go on and on. I have 4 kids at home, 10 yr old son, 6 yr old daughter and 20 mo old twin girls. Now I tell you what, some days it's rough with just our little brood. School shopping for just the two oldest right now is expensive, I have 4 college tuitions to think about, 4 cars, 3 weddings, 6 people to cook for, clean up after, do laudry, buy groceries, damn if I had 14, just pass me a noose......

amyv2321 by amyv2321 | East Bend, NC
Feb 09, 2009

I have so many mixed feelings about this. Firstly I'll say that the octuplets family is very fortunate and very blessed to be going so strong and healthy. Usually, with so many births like this, the outcome is not good at all. The babies are also fortunate to have a mother that loves them so much. However, some of the mother's actions have people believing that she had the babies for money purposes... which I am starting to think as well. Who was this lady before she had so many babies? I think that there should definitely be an embryo limit, a marital/partner factor, and some kind of age limit to this thing. Perhaps from this example we can create a law that entails all of these factors.

divalove by divalove | Liverpool, NY
Feb 09, 2009

With the economy so bad, why she want more kids if she already have 6. I don't buy what she said; that the reason that she want a lot of kids is because she was an only child. What's her problem six are not enough for her. She need to see a phyciatric because she have serious problems. Besides, are she marry or what? Because I didn't hear nothing about that.

lilred70670 by lilred70670 | Albany, IN
Feb 08, 2009

This is sooo sad...for the children she already has, the babies she just had, her parents, ad her. She obviously has issues that need to be dealt with before she will ever be a good mother. A woman who wants to have even 1 more child when she already has 6 and no job, husband, or her own home, has definate mental health problems. My grandson only weighed 3 lbs at birth and just now, at age 18 mos, is beginning to have good health. I wonder if she has seen all these multiple birth reality shows, such as Jon and Kate plus 8, and thought she would get her own show if she had 14 children? maybe that's how she planned on being able to take care of them??

arcticjewels by arcticjewels | Anchorage, AK
Feb 08, 2009

I agree with LAURAINSA, how shockingly easy it was for this insane situation to come about. The only good that might come of this is if in the future fertility doctors will have more stringent ethics and responsibilities to adhere to in regards to a woman's state of mind and living children. How cool would it be if the whole mess ended up in court, and some common sense minded judge ordered current and future child rearing expenses be forwarded to the doctor(s) responsible for the approval and execution of this IVF? (The downside being new laws would put yet one more obstacle in front of legitimate, loving parents) I seriously doubt the doctor(s) in question will give the innocent children much of a thought when the novelty wears off.

ann818marie by ann818marie | MOUNT LAUREL, NJ
Feb 08, 2009

this is a case of science going to far. 8 kids at once...come on. what were these doctor's thinking. they should have their licenses taken.

Lara67 by Lara67 | Pensacola, FL
Feb 08, 2009

In today's world there are many people who has children and who are married acts irrespondsible. In a settlement she recieved from an accident which was well over $65,000. So she payed it herself. I am not going to judge her, since there are many rich folks who has many children themselves and they dont even pay attendtion to the children they have. At least this women loves her children and wants to be a mother. No I dont think its the doctors fault, since they were doing what they got payed for, I think the fault is people who cant understand there is a reason they can't have children Why not adopt a child instead

ccarlyle by ccarlyle | Carthage, TN
Feb 08, 2009

It still a free counrty, thank goodness. However, I think the same as more of you were the DOCTOR should have never did this. She can't take care of the 1st 6 by herself. I wish her luck, what done is done.