Des Moines - A 29-year-old Iowa woman gave birth by Caesarean section to septuplets yesterday, the babies' grandfather, Mr Bob Hepworth, said at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in the state capital. He said his daughter, Ms Bobbi McCaughey, was tired but well. Six of the babies are listed as being in a serious condition, with the seventh critical.
All seven - four boys and three girls - were delivered in six minutes. While septuplets have been born alive before, the survival rate is not high. Doctors had said that for the babies to have a reasonably good chance of survival, they should weigh at least two pounds. All seven exceed that weight.