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On November 19, 1997, Bobbi and Kenny McCaughey became the center of international attention when Bobbi gave birth to seven babies at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines, Iowa. The four boys and three girls were born by Caesarean section within approximately six minutes of one another, about nine weeks prematurely. Their names are Kenneth “Kenny” Robert, Alexis May, Natalie Sue, Kelsey Ann, Nathan Roy, Brandon James and Joel Steven.
The McCaughey children became the first known set of septuplets in recorded history in which all seven babies survived, a distinction later recognized by Guinness World Records. Bobbi and Kenny were already parents to an older daughter, Mikayla, who had been born in 1996. Bobbi became pregnant with the septuplets after undergoing fertility treatment with an ovulation-stimulating medication. Because carrying seven babies created substantial medical risks, the pregnancy attracted considerable attention even before the delivery.
When the children were born, their weights ranged from approximately 2 pounds, 5 ounces to 3 pounds, 4 ounces, reflecting how premature they were. A large medical team participated in their delivery and early care. News of the birth spread around the world almost immediately. The family became the subject of television reports, magazine articles and interviews as people followed the progress of seven premature infants born at the same time.
Then-President Bill Clinton personally called the McCaughey family to congratulate them, and the family later appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Their extraordinary circumstances made the McCaugheys one of the most recognizable American families of the late 1990s.
The attention also resulted in significant public support. Reports from the period document donations that included a large house, a van, clothing, diapers and other assistance that helped a family suddenly raising eight children. The State of Iowa offered the septuplets scholarships to state universities, while Hannibal-LaGrange University in Missouri also offered scholarships. The 5,500-square-foot house provided to the family eventually became associated with another charitable purpose years later, when it was acquired by Ruth Harbor, an organization supporting mothers in need.
Caring for seven babies at once required an extraordinary daily routine. Feeding, changing diapers, washing clothes and keeping track of medical needs became around-the-clock responsibilities. Bobbi and Kenny also tried to maintain as normal a family environment as possible despite the intense public attention surrounding their children. As the years passed, they gradually reduced many media appearances and focused more heavily on raising their family in Carlisle, Iowa. Their children therefore grew up with an unusual public history but also with parents attempting to provide everyday routines away from constant cameras.
Two of the septuplets, Alexis and Nathan, were diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Both used walkers during childhood, and Nathan underwent spinal surgery in 2005 to improve his mobility. Over time, he worked toward walking independently. Their experiences were one part of the broader medical reality of being born significantly premature, but they did not prevent either sibling from continuing through school and pursuing education and personal interests as they grew older.
All seven septuplets attended school in Iowa and graduated from Carlisle High School in May 2016. Reaching graduation represented an important milestone for children whose survival had attracted global attention from the moment they were born. It was also the beginning of a major transition: for most of their lives, the seven siblings had attended school and experienced important milestones together, but adulthood would increasingly take them in different directions.
Four siblings — Natalie, Kelsey, Nathan and Joel — enrolled at Hannibal-LaGrange University in Missouri. The university confirmed in 2016 that the four moved into campus housing to begin their freshman year. Going away to college offered them an opportunity to experience greater independence after growing up as part of one of the world’s most famous multiple-birth families.