The Suleman octuplets are six male and two female children conceived via in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and simultaneously born to 33-year-old Nadya Suleman on January 26, 2009, in Bellflower, California. They are only the second full set of octuplets to be born alive in the United States and, one week after their birth, surpassed the previous worldwide survivial rate for a complete set of octuplets set by the Chukwu octuplets in 1998. The circumstances of their high order muliple birth has led to controversy in the field of assisted reproductive technology as well as an investigation by the Medical Board of California of the fertilily specialist involved.^[1]

The babies' names, gender and birth weight in birth order are:^[2][3][4]

• Noah Angel Solomon - male; 2 lbs 8 oz
• Maliyah Angel Solomon - female; 2 lbs 2 oz
• Isaiah Angel Solomon - male; 3 lbs 1 oz
• Nariyah Angel Solomon - female; 2 lbs 3 oz
• Makai Angel Solomon - male; 1 lbs 12 oz
• Josiah Angel Solomon - male; 2 lbs 9 oz
• Jeremiah Angel Solomon - male; 1 lb 13 oz
• Jonah Angel Solomon - male; 2 lbs 7 oz

Although mother Nadya Suleman states there are two sets of identical (monozygotic) twins among the octuplets due to division of two of the claimed six implanted embryos,^[5] she has not identified which of the octuplets are sets of identical twins.

The octuplets were conceived by in-vitro fertilization (IVF) conducted by Doctor Michael Kamrava. Nadya Suleman had six embryos remaining from previous IVF treatments transferred, despite being informed that for a woman her age the recommended guideline limit was three.^[1] A part of her reasoning for attempting another pregnancy was so that the frozen embryos wouldn't be destroyed.^{[citation needed]} Six embryos were transferred and two embryos split into twins, resulting in eight babies. The mother's health and gestational status were followed from her first trimester. Five fetuses were evident after one month and Suleman was offered the option of selective reduction, which she declined.^{[6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13]}

The delivery, via a scheduled Caesarean section, involved 46 medical personnel, and was practiced twice beforehand at the Kaiser Permanente hospital in Template:USCity. Doctors anticipated seven babies, so the eighth came as a surprise. Born over the course of five minutes, all eight babies were immediately reported in stable condition, though two required intubation and a ventilator, and another required extra oxygen.^[14]

Two days after birth, five of the eight infants received their first tube-feeding of donated breast milk. Josiah rejected his first tube-feeding and was returned to intravenous feeding, his stomach as yet unable to absorb breast milk. At that time, three of the other infants had been fed intravenously since birth, and were yet to receive their first tube-feeding.^[15][16][17]

Six days after birth, all eight babies were breathing without assistance, and were being fed donated breast milk, as well as intravenous nutritional supplements. A hospital spokesman said the octuplets were expected to remain in the hospital for several more weeks.^[18]

One week after birth, the Suleman octuplets became the longest-living octuplets in United States history, as the smallest of the Chukwu octuplets born in Houston in 1998 died seven days after birth.^[19][20]

The hospital where the octuplets are expected to spend seven to twelve weeks has requested reimbursement from Medi-Cal, the state's Medicaid program, for care of the premature babies.^[21]

Nadya Suleman was born on October 12, 1975 in Fullerton, California and was raised in La Puente, Hacienda Heights and Rowland Heights, all cities in the San Gabriel Valley of Los Angeles County.^[22][23][24] She is the only child of Edward and Angela Doud, who married in Las Vegas in 1974, and divorced in 1999.^[25]

Ten days after the birth of her octuplets, Suleman was released from the hospital. In her February 5, 2009 interview, Suleman stated that she holds each of the octuplets for 45 minutes a day, holding the smallest (born at 1 lb., 12 oz.) the longest.^[26][27]

Suleman's mother stated that a single sperm donor named David Solomon^[28] was used to produce the octuplets as well as her daughter's previous six children.^[29][11] Nadya stated that she dated David once, but realized after that she only wanted him to father her children and not pursue a relationship with him.^[30] Other sources claim that Nadya made up the name David Solomon in order not to identify the actual sperm donor.^[31]

On the February 23, 2009 edition of ABC's Good Morning America, a man named Denis Beaudoin claimed to be the biological father of Suleman's children. He stated they dated from 1997 to 1999 and Suleman asked him if he would donate the sperm. Beaudoin is requesting a paternity test be performed to verify his claim. Suleman has since denied that he was the donor.^[32][33][34]

The octuplets have six older siblings age 2 to 7 (born between 2001 and 2006) who were also conceived via IVF with the same sperm donor according to statements made by mother Nadya Suleman.^[35][28][36] They are:

• 7-year-old Elijah Makai Solomon (boy)
• 6-year-old Amerah Yasmeen Solomon (girl)
• 5-year-old Joshua Jacob Solomon (boy)
• 3-year-old Aiden Solomon (boy)
• 2-year-old Calyssa Arielle Solomon (girl, fraternal twin)
• 2-year-old Caleb Kai Solomon (boy, fraternal twin)

The octuplets' maternal grandfather, 67-year-old Edward Doud Suleman,^[37] identifying himself as a former Iraqi military man, says he is returning to his native Iraq as a translator and driver, in order to financially support his daughter and her children.^[38][39] Their grandmother, 69-year-old Angela Victoria Suleman, a retired teacher, has helped to look after the first six children. She has indicated that she is overwhelmed looking after them, and has been critical of her daughter in her recent public statements. For example, she has stated that her daughter has not contributed toward housing or food costs.^{[40][40][41][40][42][43][44][45]}

The implantation of six embryos in a woman under 35 years of age who already had children raised controversies and led to calls for legislation to limit the number of simultaneous embryo transfers.^{[citation needed]} Additional public controversy arose when it was revealed that Suleman was unmarried, unemployed, and on public assistance.^{[citation needed]}

News of the octuplets caused an international media frenzy.^[46] Most public reply has been negative, including some death threats, which police are investigating.^[47][48] There has been much public discussion about Nadya Suleman's decision to have the octuplets,^[49][50] including a minor protest outside the Suleman home. However, Suleman currently lives elsewhere.^[51] Many expressed concern that Suleman's decision for more children would burden taxpayers via public support.^[52]

The Medical Board of California announced on February 6, 2009, that it was investigating Michael Kamrava, the physician who transferred the embryos, in an attempt to substantiate if there was a violation of the standard of care. The American Society for Reproductive Medicine has expressed interest in assisting the Board in its investigation.^[53][54][55] The doctor also provided fertility treatment to a 49-year-old woman who is uninsured, 5 months pregnant with quadruplets, and hospitalized at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center. At least seven embryos were used.^[56][57]

• Chukwu octuplets, born in 1998 in Texas
• McCaughey septuplets, the first set of septuplets to survive infancy
• Dionne quintuplets, the only female identical quintuplets ever recorded
• List of multiple births
• Natalism

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