Birth of octuplets draws applause and questions

Los Angeles Times

Even as the birth of octuplets at Kaiser Permanente Bellflower Medical Center in Bellflower, Calif., drew attention and applause from around the country, questions arose Tuesday about whether the mother’s doctors did enough to prevent such a risky pregnancy.

The chances that the eight babies born Monday were conceived naturally are infinitesimal, say infertility specialists and doctors in maternal-fetal medicine. Today’s reproductive experts have the tools and the know-how to avoid such high-risk pregnancies — and often try desperately to do so.

The parents of the octuplets have not been identified, and Kaiser officials say they have not been authorized to release information to the public on how the babies were conceived.

Doctors reported Tuesday that the eight babies, six boys and two girls, are doing fine. The babies were delivered by Caesarean section Monday and ranged in weight from 1 pound, 8 ounces to 3 pounds, 4 ounces.

The babies are stable, and the two who were receiving help breathing had their breathing tubes removed Tuesday morning. They began feeding as well.

“They’re doing amazingly well,” said Dr. Mandhir Gupta, a neonatologist at Kaiser Permanente Bellflower Medical Center.