Editorial: The right and wrong ways to prevent future ‘octomoms’

The birth of octuplets in California seven weeks ago to a 33-year-old single mother through in vitro fertilization generated widespread outrage, and understandably so.

Nadya Suleman said her doctor implanted six embryos (two of which divided into twins), way beyond the one or two that industry guidelines recommend for women her age. At least some of Suleman's babies are likely to have cerebral palsy or developmental problems. Suleman already has six other children born through IVF, no means to support 14 properly and no realistic grasp of what it will involve.

The case, exceptional as it is, points to the need for safeguards to prevent it from being repeated. Carrying so many fetuses brings massive health risks to the mother and children, and Suleman's irresponsibility places a burden on society. The question is how to regulate IVF, and the octuplet case has already spawned one ill-conceived proposal at the state level — and one potentially useful one.

The wrong way to address the problem came in Georgia, where anti-abortion activists hijacked the Suleman case to advance their agenda. They sought...