Katie Couric's Notebook: Octuplets

By: Christine Lagorio
Topics: Katie Couric's Notebook

You've probably heard about the octuplets - eight babies - born yesterday to a woman in California. Doctors say their prognosis is good, although they're very fragile - the tiniest weighing just 1 1/2 half pounds.

Multiple births like this one make headlines, but they're also risky. Often, some babies don't survive and those who do may have health problems.

Now scientists in Britain say they've come up with a technique to further reduce multiple births by women undergoing in-vitro fertilization. IVF already offers doctors more control than other fertility procedures.

These researchers though say their system can better detect abnormalities in a woman's eggs so they can implant only the good ones. That could eventually double a woman's chances of getting pregnant and allow doctors to implant fewer embryos.

New hope for women longing for a little mouth to feed - but maybe not eight of them.

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by aimstern January 30, 2009 1:40 PM EST: The birth of octuplets brings up once again the problem of healthcare and cost for families - in one of the most dramatic ways possible. How are they going to pay for those 8 kids? I''m not talking about just feeding and diapering them but clearly the they will have some medical issues to deal with. Does insurance cover it? How will they cope? A new web-based health resource called healthcarebluebook.com might come in handy. It helps families search for treatments and procedures within their zip code and gives them an average price for what is paid for that service in their market. At least they''ll have a ballpark idea of how much they should pay. And with eight new babies to take care of they''ll need all the help they can get.; Reply to this comment


by aimstern January 30, 2009 1:30 PM EST: The birth of octuplets brings up once again the problem of healthcare and cost for families - in one of the most dramatic ways possible. How are they going to pay for those 8 kids? I''m not talking about just feeding and diapering them but clearly the they will have some medical issues to deal with. Does insurance cover it? How will they cope? A new web-based health resource called healthcarebluebook.com might come in handy. It helps families search for treatments and procedures within their zip code and gives them an average price for what is paid for that service in their market. At least they''ll have a ballpark idea of how much they should pay. And with eight new babies to take care of they''ll need all the help they can get.; Reply to this comment


by LinuxRules January 28, 2009 12:53 PM EST: I believe anyone the does the test-tube birth and have more than two babies are very very selfish. The couples by themselves would not be able to support 6 or more and must rely on the community to ''give'' them everything they need for free- car, house, diapers, food, and etc. If you had one babies why does society not give you a house, car, diapers, and food for free?

Any infertility clinic should be fined a million dollars for causing pregnancies with more that two babies. They are causing extreme risk to mother, child and society.; Reply to this comment


by akirayamanak January 28, 2009 10:29 AM EST: In TV news interview,
This is the first woman I''ve seen whose face naturally represented happiness from the bottom of her heart.
I feel that I realize a little bit what childbirth means for woman.
And I think that what makes man represent such happiness?
Getting paid or Returning from service? In my case, that time is when I got my spirit.; Reply to this comment


by petersemkiw January 28, 2009 5:12 AM EST: Octuplets? That''s great news!

And I heard they''re "Cheaper by the Dozen!"; Reply to this comment