A set of octuplets has been born in California, a decade after a Nigerian woman became the first to deliver eight living babies into the world.
How rare is this?
Very rare indeed. There are just a handful of recorded cases involving eight or even nine babies, and there are no such sets where all have survived.
The largest multiple birth we know about was nonuplets in Australia in 1971 - all died within six days.
There are serious risks associated with multiple birthsA Turkish woman lost her eight babies in 1985, a British woman hers in 1996.
The first octuplets to survive were born in 1998 - one died a week later but the other seven are now healthy 10-year-olds.
If all these babies born in California survive, they will be the first to do so.
How does it happen?
It is very unusual for such pregnancies to occur naturally.
Pregnancies involving large numbers of babies are usually the result of fertility drugs aimed at stimulating the number of eggs a woman releases.
Women are usually closely monitored to ensure too many eggs are not produced: if they are, she is generally advised to abstain from sex or use contraception to avoid the possibility of multiple births.
More in Q&A: The phenomenon of octuplets, BBC
How rare is this?
Very rare indeed. There are just a handful of recorded cases involving eight or even nine babies, and there are no such sets where all have survived.
The largest multiple birth we know about was nonuplets in Australia in 1971 - all died within six days.
There are serious risks associated with multiple birthsA Turkish woman lost her eight babies in 1985, a British woman hers in 1996.
The first octuplets to survive were born in 1998 - one died a week later but the other seven are now healthy 10-year-olds.
If all these babies born in California survive, they will be the first to do so.
How does it happen?
It is very unusual for such pregnancies to occur naturally.
Pregnancies involving large numbers of babies are usually the result of fertility drugs aimed at stimulating the number of eggs a woman releases.
Women are usually closely monitored to ensure too many eggs are not produced: if they are, she is generally advised to abstain from sex or use contraception to avoid the possibility of multiple births.
More in Q&A: The phenomenon of octuplets, BBC
More:
Mother of octuplets has six other children, CNN
Multiple Births, Time
Incredible births
Famous octuplets reach milestone, Seven survived to enjoy their 10th birthday, Houston Chronicle
Mother of octuplets has six other children, CNN
Multiple Births, Time
Incredible births
Famous octuplets reach milestone, Seven survived to enjoy their 10th birthday, Houston Chronicle
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