| Sumario: | The controversy that followed the reporting of octuplets born to Nadya Suleman has not emphasized the potential health risks that the infants are likely to encounter. A team of 46 health professionals was involved in the octuplet case, which was both a preterm and multiple gestation delivery. Some initial health care risks experienced by premature infants are most pronounced in the immediate postnatal period and can diminish as the infant grows. Others, however, persist into childhood. Prematurity is frequently associated with cognitive delays and learning problems, as well as deficits in speech, language, hearing, or vision as the infant matures. If Suleman is unable to bear the cost of inpatient stays and follow-up outpatient visits, it is the taxpayer who will end up paying. The case raises important questions about the allocation of health care resources and monies.
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