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Houston woman sticks to faith, liquid diet

By TERRI LANGFORD

Associated Press

HOUSTON -- Confined to bed and a liquid diet, Nkem Chukwu tried anxiously to sleep in a near upside down position for nearly three weeks.

This bedridden 27-year-old Houston woman who anticipated six, possibly seven, but never dreamed of having eight babies, slept as little as two hours a night, her head lowered in a steep decline to relieve pressure on the babies and her lower body.

"Mom is a remarkable woman," said Dr. Brian Kirshon, the high-risk obstetrician who delivered the octuplets, starting with a baby girl born Dec. 8 and then directing 28 people to help deliver the remaining seven on Sunday morning. "She would go to any lengths to prolong this pregnancy and to get the outcome that she had."

After losing triplets earlier this year, Mrs. Chukwu decided she would take her chances when informed in her 12th week of this pregnancy that she might be carrying six or seven children.

Relying on the support of her family, including her husband Iyke, and her Christian faith, Mrs. Chukwu, still recovering from additional surgery Monday, never gave her personal comfort a second thought after being admitted to St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital on Oct. 1, Kirshon said.

"For the last two weeks, essentially Mom has been upside-down with her head lower than her feet, total bedrest, willing to deprive herself of eating if that in fact that would increase the amount of space available for the babies," Kirshon said. "(She was) willing to make tremendous sacrifices and go to any lengths to prolong this pregnancy."

Mrs. Chukwu, whose family has declined requests to be interviewed, was advised about possible health risks premature births and on her options to reduce the number of eggs she could have fertilized and carried to term.

"It was discussed with mom," Kirshon said when he first met with Mrs. Chukwu at her 12th week of pregnancy. "Mom has strong religious beliefs and this would not be entertained."

The babies were born from 13 to 15 weeks prematurely. Even so, doctors said Mrs. Chukwu required nine weeks of drug therapy to forestall labor. Those drugs usually are administered for only three days to week.

The medication's chief side affect surfaced early Monday, when Mrs. Chukwu was rushed back into surgery to stop abdominal bleeding.

Through it all, Mrs. Chukwu stuck by her faith and family, attributing her octuplets birth to faith and God's will, Kirshon said.

By late Monday, all eight remained in critical condition. The first-born girl was off a ventilator.

Both parents, according to doctors, were reported to be very excited. Mrs. Chukwu could be released in about a week. Her children will remain at Texas Children's Hospital for at least another two months.

(See related story: Octuplets still hanging on; doctors guarded about prognosis)

(See related story: Donations begin to roll in for newborn octuplets and family)