This story about octuplets being born in Ca. will be splashed around the
papers for about a week, and, then when it's old news, the celebrating will
be over and the nightmare will continue for this family.  The nightmare
began when they found out that more than two embryos "took" and the doctors
began trying to persuade them to abort some of the babies.  They undoubtedly
underwent tremendous pressure to have this procedure which the doctors have
named "selective reduction".  No fertility doctor wants to be associated
with having produced an octuplet pregnancy.  His/her peers think he/she is
an idiot right now.

Medical people know the death and damage that happen in these multiple
pregnancies and they know the poor prognosis for these babies.  It is
considered very bad form to implant this many fertilized ovum and, yes, this
was a fertility experiment.  Prior to all this fertility nonsense, the
maximum natural number of babies in utero was quintuplets and natural
quintuplets were one in a million. 

 

The mother is very wise to let the hospital staff know that she doesn't want
them leaking information about her.  The press will sniff it out anyway and
make the family's life a goldfish bowl but, at the very least, she's making
the reporters earn their salaries.  Every aspect of this family's life will
be examined under a magnifying glass by people who will judge whether or not
the parents are "good enough" but those same people will never offer one
night of babysitting assistance.

 

Eight premature newborns is more than any family unit can handle.  Add to
that a mother recovering from major abdominal surgery and you have to wonder
how they will ever cope, let alone breastfeed.  At the best of times, with a
new baby who is full term and a natural birth, the new parents are
completely exhausted and overwhelmed.  I can't even imagine how these
parents will begin to provide quality care for all these children. 

 

So, when you read the dreamy-eyed nonsense in the newspaper about this
event, think about the reality behind the scenes.  Know that fertility
specialists are shaking their heads at the embarrassment that this has
happened.  Know that these babies have a future that is compromised by being
this small and this early.  Know that these parents are at high risk for a
nervous breakdown in the next two years.  Demand that your local news
agencies ask the difficult question and do some fundraising to help this
family with the astronomical expenses they are going to have.  Yes, the
birth of a child is always a blessing but this story is not something that
any sane person would want to have happen in their own family. 

Posted to my blog   www.glorialemay.com/blog

 


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