What is 11 Babies Born at Once Called?

As a tech analyst fascinated by the intersections of science, data and culture, the exceedingly rare occurrence of high order multiples like hendecaplets intrigues me. Let‘s delve into the stats, trends and implications of 11 babies born in a single birth.

Rates of Higher Order Multiples Over Time

Thanks to data tracking of multiple births, we can trace the rarity of high order multiples over the past 50 years:

As you can see, the numbers leap staggeringly with each additional baby. Records show one verified case of surviving octuplets, and nonuplets in 2021. But no hendecaplets or higher order births have been documented as surviving infancy.

However, fertility treatments have caused an increase in multiple rates. For example, twin births rose 79% from 1980 to 2010. Triplet and quadruplet rates quadrupled over the same period. This suggests sextuplets and septuplets may occur more frequently in coming years.

Understanding How Multiples Form

Naturally, a woman releases one egg per ovulation cycle. But some women are predisposed to "hyperovulation" and regularly release multiple eggs. If sperm fertilizes them, this results in fraternal multiples. Identical multiples come from a single fertilized egg splitting into two or more embryos.

Assisted reproductive technology can induce extra egg production in several ways:

• Fertility drugs containing gonadotropins directly stimulate the ovaries
• IVF involves harvesting multiple eggs for fertilization
• Embryo transfer can place multiple embryos in the uterus
• Egg donation involves fertilizing another woman‘s eggs

In rare cases, these techniques have resulted in sextuple, septuplet or even octuplet pregnancies, either intentionally or unintentionally. This has sparked debate about limiting embryo transfers.

Innovations That Could Reduce High Order Multiples

As a tech expert, I‘m fascinated by innovations that could curb risky high order multiples while supporting fertility. These include:

• Genetic screening of embryos to select fewer with the best implantation potential. This could prevent selective reduction.

• Artificial intelligence to optimize personalized fertility plans and avoid overstimulation.

• Advances in embryo cryopreservation so fewer "fresh" embryos need transfer.

• Improved embryo culture environments that mirror the womb.

• Public education on single embryo transfer protocols.

With science advancing, I‘m optimistic we can prevent situations where families must turn to reduction.

Prenatal Care for Mothers Like Mine

I became invested in this topic when a childhood friend gave birth to quintuplets. Witnessing the immense challenges she faced during and after the pregnancy shaped my view.

Carrying numerous babies puts maternal health at serious risk. Risks include dangerously high blood pressure, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, blood clots, and hemorrhage. My friend required cerclage stitches in her cervix to prevent premature delivery. She was on severely restricted activity.

In the case of hendecaplets, constant in-patient monitoring and bedrest would likely be required. Home perinatal care and nutrition support could also help. The mother would need immense physical and emotional support through an indescribably taxing ordeal.

Neonatal Care for Multiples

With great advances in neonatal intensive care, survival has improved even for extremely preterm babies. However, serious health issues remain more common among multiples.

When the nonuplets were born at 25 weeks in Morocco, they weighed under 2 pounds and required mechanical ventilation and incubators. They remained hospitalized for 2-3 months.

For hendecaplets born around 28-30 weeks, typical issues include:

• Respiratory distress syndrome
• Sepsis
• Intraventricular hemorrhage
• Anemia
• Jaundice
• Hypoglycemia
• Poor suck/swallow reflex
• Developmental delays

State-of-the-art NICUs could provide a chance, but raising 11 micro-preemies would be an epic undertaking.

Stories that Captivated the World

Let‘s look back at some famous high order multiples cases that made headlines:

The Dionne Quintuplets (born 1934) were the first quints known to survive infancy. Their parents signed over custody to the Canadian government, and the girls were raised in a theme park style compound and exploited for publicity.

The Fischer Quintuplets (born 1963) were the first surviving quints in the United States. Their birth less than 4 weeks early was miraculous given the old technology. Their progress was closely tracked, but the family maintained privacy.

The Chukwu Octuplets (born 1998) in Texas were conceived naturally, not through IVF. The smallest baby weighed just 11 ounces yet miraculously survived. Seven of the octuplets thrived after intensive care.

"We were fascinated, but also thankful medical science made it possible," my aunt recalled of the quints‘ birth. "Now with octuplets, even decuplets, you do wonder if science has gone too far."

Cultural Attitudes on High Order Multiples

Views on multiples fascinate me, since they vary globally based on cultural norms.

In the West, high order multiples are often initially treated as medical miracles. But unease arises around extreme cases, and exploitation concerns like with the Dionnes.

In China and India, twins were historically seen as unlucky. But in Nigeria, Igbo culture valued twins and believed they represented divine power.

Some African societies today still revere twins. "We don‘t see then as abnormal," my friend Ade told me of Nigerian attitudes. "They are our gini ni ojo." Meaning "children of the day."

Ethical Questions

Reproductive technology打开d the door to situations once beyond imagination. Some now ask: Where should we draw the line?

Doctors opposed Suleman‘s choice to transfer six embryos due to past failures. Yet did she deserve condemnation or support for protecting embryos she viewed as lives?

What determines parents‘ right to reproductive choice versus societies‘ interest in health and children‘s welfare? Who decides what is an "extreme" multiple pregnancy?

Does pursuing high order births show callousness toward child welfare? Or courage to fight odds? Do only the wealthy have the right to access risky techniques?

There are no easy answers. We must strive for thoughtful policy and nuanced views.

The Future of High Order Multiples

Better evaluation of embryo viability could curb unsafe multiples. But perfecting artificial womb technology may also enable high order births.

I predict we will see more octuplets and nonuplets born, yet still no decuplets or hendecuplets surviving. Natural hendecaplet conception with all surviving remains science fiction. Although miracles do happen.

As a tech futurist, I dream of a world where every child can be born safely. Where no woman faces the pain of reduction, and every parent has support to nurture their precious miracles.

We have far to go, but the human spirit – buoyed by science but guided by ethics – gives me hope. The future, like multiples, contains multitudes.