3 Surviving Septuplets Celebrate First Birthday

The three surviving infants from the first septuplet birth in the United States celebrate their first birthday today, still plagued by illnesses attributed to their 12-week premature delivery.

Patti and Sam Frustaci of Riverside made international headlines when she gave birth to the septuplets at Children’s Hospital of Orange County in Orange. One infant was stillborn and three others died within three weeks.

The surviving infants--Patricia Anne, Richard Charles and Stephen Earl--all weighed less than two pounds at birth. They were not allowed to go home for almost five months.

“They’ve had tremendous problems because of their prematurity,” said Janice Corsino, one of the Frustacis’ two Los Angeles attorneys. She said two of the infants only recently were relieved of oxygen and heart monitors.

The Frustacis, who sold exclusive rights to their story to People magazine, have declined interviews with other news media.

Patti Frustaci, now 32, never returned to her job teaching high school English.

The Frustacis filed a $3.2-million lawsuit last October against Dr. Jaroslav Marik, alleging that he failed to conduct proper ultrasound monitoring after injecting Patti Frustaci with the fertility drug Pergonal at the Tyler Medical Clinic in West Los Angeles.

Corsino predicted that the lawsuit will not reach court for at least “three or four years.” The attorney said the family has incurred more than $1 million in medical bills over the last year, all of which have been paid by medical insurance. But she said those benefits will soon reach policy limits.