Human Beings Weren't Designed To Have Litters

I wondered why the California woman who gave birth to octuplets wants to remain anonymous. Now we know. She has six other children. The AP reports she had fertility treatment, likely thinking she'd have one more child, not eight:

[The woman's mother, Angela] Suleman said her daughter had embryos implanted last year, and after finding out she was pregnant with multiple babies was given the option by doctors of selectively reducing the number of embryos. The woman declined.

Props to the blessed mother for making the moral move.

I have no issue with a family of 14 kids. I know several families overflowing with children who are happy, well-adjusted, intelligent, self-sufficient, and servants of God. From what the AP tells us about this family and the "big house" waiting for them, they may very well thrive. However, if they end up on the public dole, that's a problem.

Whenever we hear of massive multiple births, all of the media attention is on how it's such a miracle -- which it is. But we forget what happens after the children come home from the hospital and the huge burden the parents will face in terms of time and money. Not all parents are equipped to handle it. We shouldn't have to subsidize those who can't.

This is why God didn't design people to have litters. God didn't want to give us more than we can handle, as 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NKJV) explains:

"No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it."

But we do that to ourselves with fertility drugs. I know it's a burden to be barren, but there's no getting around the risks.