Medical technologies such as in vitro fertilization—the fertilization of a human egg cell in a laboratory, which is then implanted in a woman’s womb—and fertility drugs have enabled more women to give birth. In many cases, these technologies result in multiple births, such as the 1985 birth of the Frustaci septuplets, the first septuplets born in the United States. These babies often face serious medical problems, raising questions as to whether increasing a woman’s fertility is beneficial.

Multiple-birth babies are typically born prematurely, before their organs and nervous systems have developed completely. Consequently these infants are more likely to have underdeveloped lungs and a greater susceptibility to infections. As they develop, these babies—if they survive—are at an increased risk for learning disabilities. For example, one of Patti Frustaci’s septuplets...