Remaining Octuplets fight for life

A second baby from a set of octuplets died yesterday as her six siblings fought for survival in a Milan hospital.

Fear that the babies' vital organs and central nervous systems are fatally under developed intensified after the girl, named Cristina, suffered a haemorrhage.

Doctors had hoped to delay the babies' delivery for two more weeks, but Marinella Mazzara, 31, gave birth to the first, a girl, on Wednesday, three months early.

The other seven, four boys and three girls, arrived on Sunday, the first naturally and the rest by caesarean section. One of the boys died soon afterwards.

The health minister, Umberto Veronesi, led criticism of doctors for turning fertility treatment into a "wild west" without proper regulation.

The surviving babies, each weighing just over 450 grams (1lb) were in incubators at Niguarda hospital last night. Their condition was stable, but the doctors feared neurological and respiratory complications, as well as infections, the hospital spokesman, Stefano Martinelli, said. Experts put their chance of survival at 50%.

Mrs Mazzara, from Ballata in Sicily, was described as well. Her womb had swollen to a volume of 3.5 gallons - twice the normal size for a pregnant woman.

Mr Veronesi criticised doctors' recklessness. "What a tragedy for that woman. Sometimes doctors should recommend adoption."