Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Hot Topics #2

Can you say stretch marks? By now I'm sure every one of us has heard the story of the Suleman Family. I've been completely intrigued by this woman and her HUGE family. Were you able to watch her interview on Dateline with Ann Curry? What do you think about the whole situation?

I feel like this subject could be our Hot Topic for the next few weeks given how controversial the story is: Was implanting 6 embryos again ethical? How and who will be paying for these children? 3 of her 6 previous children suffer from learning disabilities, one of those being autism. How will she raise 14 children as a single mother? She's quoted as saying, "I was looking at myself, and acknowledged that I wasn't in love at all with him (her husband). I was in love with having children. She realized she didn't want to be married, she just wanted to be a mother. That meant finding a sperm donor." And the rest is history.

The pregnancy and birth of octuplets truly is a miracle. Each of the children seems to be healthy and growing each day. What are your thoughts?

4 comments:

Stephanie said...

Yikes, don't even get me started on this topic! Let me just say that if I ever had IVF, and for some reason a ton of eggs implanted, I too would be against selective reduction. However, they should never have implanted that many eggs in the first place. I also don't care that this woman has 14 kids. If you want 14 kids...great. But you should have a father for your 14 kids, and you need to be able to take care of your 14 kids. And the biggest issue I have with this story is that this is a single, unworking mother on assistance from the government. So who is paying for her to have IVF??? Something is very, very wrong with this picture!

Did anyone see the Dr. Phil show about this? I guess Kate (from Jon and Kate Plus Eight) was a guest speaker. She talked about bringing home her 6 babies, when she already had 2, and just how much work and help from others it required. And she had a helpful husband! This woman will be bringing home EIGHT babies to her already SIX children, with no husband. It literally will be not be possible without a LOT of help...

kristi said...

I agree with Stephanie, of course I would NEVER be able to selectively reduce my babies. However, I would never try to go that route without a husband to go along with me. I think she and the doctors were completely irresponsible, but unfortunately the deed has already been done. I just pray that she will get the help she needs to care for these precious little babies.

She is obviously very selfish and most likely suffering from some mental illness. I know that this sounds pretty harsh, but I don't think that anyone in their right mind would keep having IVF while not in a committed and stable relationship. I pray for her kids and also her that they will be very well taken care of.

stacibee said...

I did watch the interview with Kate on Dr. Phil and she just seemed in total disbelief while talking about the Suleman situtation. Re-living her first year with her 6 little ones was pretty wild, 50 volunteers in and out of her house every day, the amount of time and effort that it took to care for them, etc.

I feel for this mom. I would never, ever want to go there. Especially without a husband for support. I can't understand what she was thinking, all the way back to the first IVF treatment. She's gonna need some serious help. SERIOUS help.

katie said...

I watched the interview with Ann Curry and dislike the woman less afterwards. I don't really know the medical side of it, but according to the interview she was implanted with 6 embryos every time. Apparently that was her doctor's normal number (even though I have heard since that the normal number should be 3-4). She wasn't hoping to have eight more babies, just one. So even though it is not the ideal situation at all, at least she didn't have 8 more on purpose. I feel sorry for the children not having a father, but sadly there are tons of children who don't. I would rather have the government supporting the family and have them at least have one parental figure around, though. She made a decision I do not agree with, but I want what is best for the children.