[shy_bear]

I was just reading in the paper that she already has 6 kids at home and lives with family...I really do think there needs to be some type of rules/regulations in place when it comes to infertility treatments. The paper was saying the family has had money problems in the past to include tax liens and bankruptcy. So who exactly is going to be supporting these 14 kids????

[sambob]

I am pretty disgusted about this. I think she is a single woman living with her parents (no mention of a husband or father). She already has 6 kids, so why is fertility treatment necessary??? She obviously can't afford the children she has if she's filed for bankruptcy and lives with her parents. No doubt she is or will be on state assistance, so you and I are going to be paying for these kids. How did she even afford fertility treatment in the first place? I sure hope the doctor gets put on the spot and has to answer some tough questions. No doubt this is going to lead to further scrutiny of the fertility industry.

[EZ2Luv]

These babies were concieved via IA and a sperm donor, the same donor of the previous children. A few friends and neighbors were interveiwed and they seem to all think that the donor is unaware or was unaware of this (until now with media).

IMO this is a VERY selfish woman and I really belive that fertility clinics should have a screening system in order to prevent this kind of thing from continuing to happen. Assited reproduction is unregulated in this area and there is always the possibility of HOM. Surrogacy and any other tyoe of donor repoduction needs to have laws in place. I really believ that this selfish woman is an attention seeker and probably wants to be like Jon and Kate+8. Sadly, I am hardpressed to think this will happen for her.
Thsi is so disgusting on so many levels.

EZ

[kakuehl]

For what it's worth... her father says that the family will support her, not the state.

[rd200]

I hadnt read much about this, but from reading your post i am thinking, is she out of her mind??? i just assumed that she was married, had no children, or 1 child, and that they did IUI and now have 8 babies. i felt very sad for them and the challenges that they are going to face. now, i'm not so sure. honestly, when you do infertility treatments, you know taht there is that possibility that you could have alot of babies, but it never really makes a difference cuz you dont have any children, or you have one or two. so the extras arent a big deal. but why on gods green earth is someone who has 6 kids, living with their parents, has no money, doing infertiltiy treatments??? it just makes everyone else look bad. imagine what kinda life them kids will have. it makes me sick that this woman who can barely support the children she does have, is having infertility treatments. this will sound harsh but, as a tax payer, WE are all supporting the state funded programs. which is GREAT if someone needs help with things, but when people COUNT on it to raise their children, i dont think its fair to the rest of us. Yes, there are rough times, and everyone needs help sometimes, but when its intentional, to live on the system, its completely wrong!! I was on WIC and state insurance when i had my son, and i was on WIC for only 4 months, and we had to pay back the hospital cost of caleb. i needed it for a while and i'm glad it was there for the short time i needed it. but i'm assuming that this woman will full advantage of the system. if you are doing expensive infertility treatments, then you should make sure you can take care of all of your children before you have more. I just feel differently now that i know what the deal is. I wonder if she did IVF or IUI. usually IUI produces the most multiples cuz doctors arent suppose to transfer more than 3 or mayybe 4 embryos with IVF. unless they did 4 and they all stuck and they all split!! that is highly unlikely though. I do pray that the babies are alright and that their mother will get some help if she needs it. Rach

[rd200]

It just took me along time to post so i now see some of the answers to my questions!! LOL I still dont think its right.

[binkybear]

I personally might not agree with specific methods of fertility treatments, but God bless her and her babies. They need prayers, good wishes and good thoughts for thier growth, health and mere survival at this point...anything else right now is in bad taste (imo).

Regulation. Why? And for "whom". Who's worthy and who is not? What is the criteria of who is worthy, capable or deemed fit? Homestudy prior to all treatments across the board?
John and Kate are cute, this woman's story causes disgust. (nice)
This mother has a degree and was going for her Masters who knows what she will be or what these children will be....maybe Pres one day, who knows.

To regulation...what's the difference of her having them all at once or a woman having as many spaced out over a period of years? Want those particular fed draining disgusting births regulated too? Maybe a lil' ole Pelosi-esque steralization stimuli in the "regulation".

Just a tad too "rich" for my tastes.

[lovemy2boys]

I just read an article where they interveiwed her mom...

It's kind of weird, but here it is...


Grandma: Octuplets mom obsessed with having kids - Yahoo! News

[Fran27]

I just don't get how any responsible doctor would put in 8 embryos, if it was IVF, or would let an IUI happen if a woman has so many follicles (not sure which one it is, I keep reading something different). It baffles me.

[crick]

I too keep reading too many conflicting articles, so I really have no clue what the actual situation is.

I'm of the opinion that as long as you can support your family without tax dollar assistance, then it's not my business how many kids you have. I might not agree with it, but it's not my business.

I do however, have an issue with the fertility clinic/doctors. From what I understand, it's not ethical or even healthy to implant more than 2-3 embryos when the mom is in her 30's. (This is again, based on conflicting stories) I really would like the true information from the clinic/doctor as to their reasons for implanting 8 embryos.

[lovemy2boys]

Crick - I agree with you...

Every article has a conflicting story...And some of the stuff is just plain strange.

There was a woman who used to watch the mom's Autistic son that asked her "How can you afford to go to school and have invitro?" And the mom said "Because I get paid for it."

That makes absolutely NO sense...

[angelkisses0102]

I have tried to not be judgemental of this...yet I am. I think it is wrong on many levels...

She (no one) should have never been in the situation of being pregnant with eight babies...epsecially when she already had six kids aged two to seven at home. I have read she already has one special needs son...autistic was mentioned.

All eight of these babies have the (high) potential to have some sort of special needs...and as the mom of one child with moderate special needs...it is darn expensive. While we pay out of pocket for most of his therapies (insurance pays after we meet our $4000 deductible) you all pay for some as well as DS's program (full of twins/preemis) is federally funded until age six....the program begins at age 3. After that, our neighbors (and us) takeover...talking about taxes paid that support the school system. And if she does end up having to use 'the system' to get any potential future issues covered for these babies...well let's just say it is never all of what the child needs...just the very bare necessities. My child would never, ever be in the position he is in today had it not been for the very expensive therpaies and activites we provide for him. As an example...DS's feeding therapy...right now we have worked out a cash deal with the therapist...we pay $58 per session (he goes once per week)...otherwise it is $150 per session of which the insurance pays a portion after we meet the decuctible. Feeding issues are very common in preemies.

For his occupational therpay for sensory issues (also very common in preemies), which he was getting twice per week...it was about the same...but we can no longer afford to cover it...and he only gets 60 lifetime sessions per diagnosis. So we now have him in gymnastics ($187 for nine weeks) and we purchased many of the items that they used in the sensory room at the therapists office. This is just the tip of the iceberg...we have spent thousands and thousands to get DS to the point he is today...and we have many more thousands to go. The point is...some kids require so much financial support and very few people can support 14 kids as a single mom....let alone eight babies who are at high risk of having special needs.

On the Today Show this morning they stated that California and it's taxpayers would be footing the estimated $3,000,000.00 hospital bill for the babies.

I know every child has the potential to have special needs but this situation just increases the chances so much. That in itself is wrong to me. Why would you knowingly bring so many babies into this world when you know the chances of their very survival are at stake? That the chances that they may end up 'suffering' due to your own selfishness? I use suffering because even though I love my son to death...he does at times suffer due to his issues and as a mom that is heartbreaking to witness.

I will say that I personally could never selectively abort...thus I never put myself in that position. I have read this mom would not selectively abort...yet she allowed herself to be in this position. That's just wrong...to me.

How do parent a family with 14 kids under age 7? Really? I feel guiltty because I work and have so little time for my two kids...how much attention will these kids get from their mom...who I assume will probably have to work at some point? But then again how on earth can she possibly work having 14 kids? Heck my two keep me out of work enough and they are fairly healthy.

I could go on and on...but I can't keep from judging her.

[RavenSong]

There are just too many conflicting news stories at this point in time to know what really happened. I am totally surprised that the physicians implanted 8 embryos, and I understand that an inquest is underway. I'm also really surprised that Kaiser Permanente is involved.

At this point, doctors at Kaiser Permanente Bellflower Medical Center aren't sure that any of the octuplets will survive. They were born 9 weeks prematurely, which is not a good thing... BTW, one of the doctors told the press that they were only expecting 7 children...the 8th one was a surprise.

[loveajax]

My husband and I are infertile (they call it "unexplained infertility"...that narrows it down!) and I had six IUIs and three IVFS. I consider myself an advocate for infertile people and really want to see laws requiring that infertility procedures be covered by insurance. This woman, but especially her doctor, has set back that "movement" a million years. Her doctor should be "disbarred" or whatever they call it. And yes, this will cause people to have even greater stereotypes about infertility, infertility treatments, etc. And yes, it will probably lead to more regulation (which when it comes to reproductive matters I'm always skeptical about).

Btw, a doctor cannot "implant" an embryo. It is called "transferring" embryos (and believe me you hope like heck ONE of them will implant).

My IF clinic had "limits" on the number of embryos they would transfer...I do believe that makes sense.

Love, I was reading that story to my husband and I could not stop laughing when the woman's mom said, "I told her when she gets home from the hospital, I am GONE!" That poor granny!

I am literally overwhelmed with one kid and I have a husband. I honestly don't really believe it's possible to "healthily" raise 14 kids, especially when it seems that at least one has autism, and there is no doubt that some of the octuplets will have issues due to low birth weight, etc.

Btw, I kind of "blame" this whole thing on the "glamorization" in the media of septuplets, etc. It seems like it's such fun, mad escapades on Jon and Kate plus 8.....

OMG, I am writing a novel...sorry!!

[ChromaKelly]

ITA with Loveajax. I can't imagine any ethical RE transferring 8 embryos, or heck, even 4, into a woman in her 30's, especially one that already has children. Every person I know who has gone through infertility treatments (and, I do know a lot) said their clinic had guidelines on how many to transfer based on age and health factors. Most will only transfer two for a woman under 35, some are even moving towards just one embryo.

This story is just completely bizarre. I actually doubt she had IVF. She came to Kaiser Permanente already 3 months pregnant, did she get meds illegaly?

And yes, this is different than having a large family spaced out over time. At least then, some of the kids are older and more independent, and maybe even out of the house.