Octuplets

Specialties NICU

Published

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/01/27/octuplets.update/index.html

Seriously.....!!!

I love how the "hospital won't comment on whether or not the Mom had fertility treatments". Come on!!!!

Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.
I thought identical twins look different from faternal on an ultrasound. Is that true L&D nurses?

It is sometimes possible to ID identical twins on U/S, but not always. If the babies share a placenta and membranes, then they are definitely identical. But it is also possible for identical twins to have separate placentas and membranes, so this is not the most reliable indicator.

I once attended an emergency C/S for premature identical twins who were discordant in size due to twin to twin transfusion syndrome, all diagnosed based upon a single U/S by a cowboy perinatologist. The perinatologist was so concerned about he babies' well-being, that an immediate section was done. No time for steroids to mature the babies' lungs, or so we were told.

The difference in the babies' actual weights was minimal, neither was anemic nor polycythemic, and when cord blood was sent for routine testing, they came back with different blood types.

That would have been merely an "oops", had these babies not been delivered so prematurely. Both needlessly experienced long-term effects of prematurity.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Neonatal ICU.

I read just today in the Toronto Star that the babies were in vitro AND that she has not been showered with offers of free diapers and the like. Interesting, because I bet on some level that's what she expected. I personally disapprove of the healthcare resources this sort of situation gobbles up. I mean, c'mon! The woman already has 6 children! If someone needs extensive counselling before being allowed to get a sex change operation which only affects them, they should be subjected to similar counsellling when deciding to have so many babies, something that affects others. Just my opinion and naturally not an attitude I exude in practice

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Sorry but this whole thing makes me ill - this is child abuse of the worst kind and all the media can/will do play into the situation...it is the children who will pay an enormous price! Makes me SICK! And there are families who need this type of help and this will no doubt mess up what was to be a good thing for others. The medical team who got the ball rolling here should also be held accountable - maybe They should pay for this not the taxpayers of America!! Maybe my comment isn't the popular view - but maybe in should be.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I think that this woman may be able to afford her kids after all. There is a book deal and TV deal in the works. And I am sure she'll make millions from it. They say now it takes $300,000 to raise 1 child from age 0 to 17. That is 14 kids X $300,000. That is 4.2 million. But we know she'll spend less because her kids will have to share toys, share clothes, be babysat my grandma, etc. So if her book deal or TV deal works well for her, then that means everyone can settle down and not have to worry about their tax money going into her pocket.

Also, I have actually heard that Medical (the free health insurance in CA for poor people) will provide free IVF to women. They say they can't deny a woman's right to have children. Just wanted to clarify that for some of you.

I guess I just can't get over how loose her abdomen skin must be. I guess she'll need plastic surgery to fix that.

if this is true, that they "cant deny a women the right to have children" that loophole needs to be tied off promptly!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU.

"Also, I have actually heard that Medical (the free health insurance in CA for poor people) will provide free IVF to women. They say they can't deny a woman's right to have children. Just wanted to clarify that for some of you."

I think you are confused. Medicaid does not cover IVF or fertility treatment in any state. They will provide medical coverage for the mother and baby throughout the pregnancy and early postpartum period, and follow the baby after birth.

California is one of the states mandated to OFFER coverage for infertility treatments and GIFT for people who are purchasing policies through their employers, but the employer is not obligated to purchase that policy and make it available to it's employees. It costs more, because those procedures are expensive.

There are some states that require that the insurance for infertility be purchased by employers and made available to their employees.

Here's a link.

http://www.fertilitylifelines.com/paying/insurance/statemandate.jsp#

Just my opinion, this woman is nuts. I saw her interviewed, I'll find the link to the snippet I saw of the interview, but she sounds like an idiot, and any doctor that would consent to implant her has questionable judgement. She says she is not on any assistance from the government, and will not go on any assistance, and it comes out today she has been on food stamps, and gets SSI for three of her kids. What the heck does she think SSI and food stamps ARE??

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2009/02/today-exclusive.html

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Neonatal nursing (paediatric trained).

I saw the pictures in our papers today. From what I could see, none of these babies are on any sort of respiratory support....so why do they have orogastric tubes in?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU, Telephone Triage.
I saw the pictures in our papers today. From what I could see, none of these babies are on any sort of respiratory support....so why do they have orogastric tubes in?

Are you a NICU nurse? If not, preemies don't learn to nipple very well at all until they are 35-36 weeks of age. It takes a while before they nipple, so they have tubes.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU.
Are you a NICU nurse? If not, preemies don't learn to nipple very well at all until they are 35-36 weeks of age. It takes a while before they nipple, so they have tubes.

I think she meant why do they have OG tubes in as compared to NG tubes. It's a lot easier to bottle feed (IMHO) when you've got an NG tube in compared to an OG tube....

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Neonatal nursing (paediatric trained).
I think she meant why do they have OG tubes in as compared to NG tubes. It's a lot easier to bottle feed (IMHO) when you've got an NG tube in compared to an OG tube....

Exactly what I was getting at. :yeah: Thanks, Sweeper. An OG just seems uncomfortable and unfounded if they're not on CPAP or N/C O2.

And, yes, I'm a NICU nurse.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU.

UGH!!!! :banghead:

This just makes me so sick.

In the interview, she talks about how this time, the IVF was "no different" than the other IVFs. She said each of the other times, the doctor had implanted "about 6 embryos". Uhh, seriously?! I highly doubt that. Her first five pregnancies ended up in singletons, the sixth ended up in twins. And the seventh ended up in octuplets?

She tried to act all innocent, like she only wanted "one more", but got eight this time.

Makes.me.sick.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU III/Transport.
I think you are confused. Medicaid does not cover IVF or fertility treatment in any state. They will provide medical coverage for the mother and baby throughout the pregnancy and early postpartum period, and follow the baby after birth.

Are you certain about that? I'm not... and know next to nothing about insurance... but this is quoted directly from the Medi-Cal site: http://files.medi-cal.ca.gov/pubsdoco/publications/masters-mtp/fpact/progstand_f00.doc I was a bit surprised to find such a statement.

E. Availability of Covered Services

1. All Family PACT-approved family planning methods (see Figure 3), including all FDA-approved contraceptive methods and their applications, fertility awareness methods, sterilization procedures, and limited infertility services consistent with recognized medical practice standards shall be made available to clients by the practitioner.

And again... IMHO this is all internet gossip until I am personally involved with such a case (but interesting conversation, nonetheless)... here is more questionable evidence about Medicaid involvement in reproductive assistance: http://www.newsweek.com/id/111969 Granted, this article is from 1994, but it certainly raises a shadow of doubt...

Are you sure that all loop-holes have been closed...???

[edited - I see this was added in another post, but here's the direct link]

Make a donation! OR... a leave a comment!...

http://www.thenadyasulemanfamily.com/

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment