The octuplets, revisited

N. wrote on February 2:

The woman who gave birth to eight babies has no job, is on California welfare, and…and…well, just read the two news stories below. Each of the eight infants will require an eye popping amount of special care just to survive long enough to go home. Neonatal ICU is not inexpensive, I’d guess $75,000 to $100,000 for a start.

Here are the excerpts N. sent:

Excerpt:

LOS ANGELES—The woman who gave birth to octuplets this week conceived all 14 of her children through in vitro fertilization, is not married and has been obsessed with having children since she was a teenager, her mother said.

Angela Suleman told The Associated Press she was not supportive when her daughter, Nadya Suleman, decided to have more embryos implanted last year.

Excerpt:

Her family has told agents she needs cash from deals such as nappy sponsorship—she will get through 250 a week in the next few months—and the agents will gauge public reaction to her story.

Nadya Suleman, who describes herself as a “professional student” living off education grants and parental money, broke up with her boyfriend before the birth of her first child seven years ago.

Angela and Ed Suleman, Nadya’s parents,bought her a two-bedroom bungalow in the suburb of Whittier in March 2007, but soon after got into debt and had to leave their own home.

They filed for bankruptcy and moved in with their daughter and grandchildren. Last week her father said he would return to his native Iraq to work as a translator and driver.

Posted by Lawrence Auster at March 10, 2009 09:10 AM | Send