Health

Mother of Octuplets and Six Other Kids Sparks Ethical Debate

by Terri Potratz | January 30, 2009 at 10:47 am

610 views | 8 Recommendations | 4 comments

The world looked on in astonishment when a woman gave birth to 8 live-born babies earlier this week, and relief when doctors announced that the octuplets were "feisty" and mostly breathing on their own.

The Suleman babies are the second set of live-born octuplets ever delivered, and may be the first set in which all of the infants survive longer than a week. At four days old, the outlook for the octuplets is looking good, though doctors warn they are "not out of the woods yet."

The curiosity and astonishment surrounding the successful delivery of the octuplets turned into shock when it was revealed that the mother already has 6 young children, including a set of twins. It is still unclear whether the woman is a single mother or not; she is apparently in her 30's and lives with her parents in a 3 bedroom home. One report notes that her husband will return to Iraq to work as a contractor, while others refer to her as single and recently bankrupt.

Angela Suleman, grandmother to the eight babies, fueled the fire when she disclosed that the mother of the octuplets had undergone fertility treatments and that doctors knowingly implanted a whopping 8 embryos in her womb:

The octuplets' grandmother Angela Suleman told The Los Angeles Times that her daughter had a fertility treatment last year in which the eight embryos were implanted, touching off a firestorm over the extreme treatment and its implications both for the mother and the children
"Anyone who transfers eight embryos should be arrested for malpractice," University of Pennsylvania bioethicist Arthur Caplan told ABC News.

The mother was given the option to reduce the number of embryos but refused to terminate any of the fetuses, despite warnings of all the possible risks.

Doctors overwhelmingly agree that implanting 8 embryos is bordering on malpractice, because it carries the probability of an exremely high-risk pregnancy for both mother and babies. Fertility doctors will generally implant between 1 and 4 embryos in the course of treatment.

   "When we see something like this in the general fertility world, it gives us the heebie-jeebies," Michael Tucker, a clinical embryologist in Atlanta and a leading researcher in infertility treatment, told the Los Angeles Times on Wednesday.
    "If a medical practitioner had anything to do with it, there's some degree of inappropriate medical therapy there," he added.

    According to Geeta Swamy, an assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Duke University, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists encourage doctors to make efforts to curb these higher-order multiple gestations.

    "But it really is still up to the individual physician. There aren't any laws or legal ramifications to it," said Swamy.

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Blue Crush

at 12:53 on January 30th, 2009

Having six young kids already sure does put a whole new spin on the joy, doesn't it? My biggest question would be WHY go for fertility treatment when you already have more than most families can afford.

You certainly can't fault the mother for not wanting to terminate any of the pregnancies when all the embryos became viable. The doctor, for implanting 8, in a 33 year old woman, now that's another story!

Blue Crush

at 13:25 on January 30th, 2009

Check out this link, NECN.com, with a video of the grandfather. I was looking for one (of the grandfather) that was shown on CNN, but can't find it. In essence he said that they can afford the babies, and the only problem is the media, not giving them privacy.

Barbara McPherson

at 16:06 on February 1st, 2009

There do seem to be some real ethical questions here. It has been known for a long time that the more fetuses a woman carries at one time the higher the risk to the health of the babies. Questions should be asked of the medical team who would implant so many embryos, risking death and handicaps to all the babies. The mother is young enough to have had several more low risk pregnancies.

It may be that the family can afford the price of food and diapers, but will they be asking society to help pay for special medical care that these tykes are probably going to need?

Dorothy f. welch (not verified)

at 17:36 on February 4th, 2009

I think this is ridiculous for a Doctor to implant 8 sperms eggs in a patient, there is no mother, parent or whatever able to pay for the procedure and the hospital bill, and caring for 8 babies plus the fact that there are 6 siblings before. I feel down the years, we citizens will be paying for some of the expenses, it should be eligel for any doctor to do the fertilazation to that extent.

I raised 3 boys which I gave birth to and know the care and cost that it incurrs. why is this all kept so secret to the public.

Concerned Citizen