Doctors in Houston in the United States are fighting to save the lives of the world's first surviving octuplets.

The mother is a Nigerian-born American citizen, Nkem Chukwu.

She gave birth to the first of the eight babies, a girl, prematurely nearly two weeks ago.

The other five girls and two boys were born by Caesarian section on Sunday.

The babies weigh between three-hundred and five-hundred grammes; doctors say they are in a critical condition but are doing as well as can be expected.

Mrs Chukwu had been receiving fertility treatment.

Three other octuplet births have been recorded in the past thirteen years, but in each case, some of the babies died during birth.