Tiniest octuplet dies of heart, lung failure

HOUSTON -- The smallest of the Chukwu Octuplets died early yesterday from heart and lung failure, a week after she was born weighing just 292grams.

Texas Children's Hospital announced that the baby, Chijindu Chidera, who was nicknamed Odera, was pronounced dead at 3.23am.

She and her seven siblings had been in intensive care since her birth on December 20, as part of the world's first surviving set of octuplets. The first baby was born on December 8.

Odera was the fifth child born to Ms Nkem Chukwu, of Nigeria, and her husband, Mr Iyke Louis Udobi.

The baby's condition began to deteriorate significantly on Saturday, when doctors moved her from a conventional ventilator to an oxygenator in an effort to improve her blood-oxygen level. But her breathing remained poor and her heart began to fail. Medication and chest compressions were unsuccessful.

In a statement, the parents said: "We are very saddened by the passing of our beloved baby Odera. She is now safe with God in heaven and we remain most grateful to him for having blessed our lives with hers."

Ms Chukwu and her husband and mother visited all eight babies for the first time on Saturday night, at the same time as Odera's condition began to deteriorate.

The other seven babies were in a critical condition. The youngest, Gorom, was recovering from abdominal surgery on Saturday to repair an intestinal perforation. Two -- Ebuka and Ikem -- remained on ventilators, but four others -- Chidi, Echerem, Chima and Jioke -- were breathing on their own.

The mother, who had taken fertility drugs, was in a stable condition yesterday morning.

The largest of the babies weighed 765grams at birth. -- Sapa-AP