Ironically enough, the baby she and H.I. eventually stole was one of a set of quintuplets. Perhaps they were the product of fertility drugs of the kind that blessed the McCaugheys in Iowa with seven brand new bouncing bundles of sheer, unadulterated joy.

Fertility drugs and treatments step in when nature rules possibilities out, leaving women with renewed hope to have children "naturally."

Unfortunately, before technology perfects itself, women will continue to have veritable litters of children, thus turning the human body into a factory of mass baby production.

Having so many children at once increases the risk of death not only to the mother but to the babies.

They are more likely to be premature and underweight with an increased risk of birth defects that could carry through a lifetime. In addition to the obvious health risks, the economic side hurts like labor.

Cost estimates of saving these tiny babies once they are born reaches the millions, and taxpayers necessarily foot the bill.

All of this because fertility drugs give couples the opportunity to procreate, but make it double (or triple or quadrupleÖ ) or nothing in the delivery room.

Given the precariousness of fertility drugs and their effects, the industry needs regulation to ensure health and safety.

The medical community establishes standards of care in all areas of health care, so surely it can institute guidelines and preferred practices for fertility doctors and treatment centers.

The most important change involves limiting the number of babies carried to term. The "magic number" varies with each woman, but she should only have as many children as she can care for properly and afford. Enough with the litters.