Bobbi McCaughey was desperate for a baby in 1997. She got septuplets. This is their life now.

Bobbi and Kenny McCaughey of Carlisle, Iowa, were no strangers to heartache. After struggling to conceive their first child, Mikayla, they were desperate to give her a sibling.

But every month ended the same way — with renewed disappointment.

By the time Mikayla was 16 months old, the couple had decided to try again, but this time with a little medical help. They used Metrodin, a fertility drug designed to encourage reluctant eggs to be released for fertilisation.

It worked.

At their six-week checkup, they were given news that would turn their lives upside down: there were seven foetuses growing inside Bobbi.

Watch: The McCaughey Septuplets turn 18. Post continues after video.

The odds were staggering.

While the phenomenon of septuplets was not entirely new, all babies surviving such a birth had never been achieved before.

Health professionals warned the couple repeatedly about the dangers; miscarriages, stillbirths, life-threatening complications for both mother and babies.

But as the days went on, the babies only grew, and so did the family's cautious hope. By 30 weeks, Bobbi's belly measured 55 inches across.

On 19 November 1997, miraculously, the McCaugheys welcomed Kenneth Robert, Alexis May, Natalie Sue, Kelsey Ann, Brandon James, Nathan Roy, and Joel Steven into the world.

Bobbi with her newborn septuplets. Image: Getty.

The birth was a national sensation. Even the-then-President of the United States, Bill Clinton, called the couple to offer his congratulations. For the first time in history, septuplets had been born and survived.

The early days, of course, were intense. The babies spent three months in the hospital before being strong enough to come home. But as the septuplets grew, each carved a unique path beyond the shadow of that extraordinary birth.

Almost three decades later, the babies who once shared a womb have grown into adults with careers, families, and identities all their own.

Here's everything we know about what they're up to now.

Where are the McCaughey septuplets now?

The septuplets graduated together from Carlisle High School in 2016, each setting off on their own version of adulthood. Four of them, Natalie, Kelsey, Nathan and Joel, went on scholarships to Hannibal-LaGrange University, while Kenny and Alexis chose Des Moines Area Community College.

Brandon took a different route, enlisting in the U.S. Army.

Since then, public glimpses into their lives have been rare. The most detailed picture came in 2019, when their older sister Mikayla wrote birthday letters to each of her siblings. Mother Bobbi later shared them with the Des Moines Register, and they offer a window not only into what the septuplets are doing, but who they have become.

Brandon, the Army sergeant, was described by Mikayla as "the most hardworking and driven person I know … funny and giving positive encouragement to those around him."

He has since married Alana, and the couple have a daughter named Ellie.

Kenny built a life in Dallas Centre with his wife, Synthia, and also became a father. Mikayla called him "hilarious and kind… always willing to help those who need it" (and as omeone who would happily share his snacks).

Natalie settled in Hannibal, Missouri, with her husband, Shawn Geralds, and pursued a Master's degree in athletic training. To her sister, she is "gracious and hospitable," always quick with encouragement.

The septuplets appeared on TODAY in 2016 to mark their 18th birthday. Image: TODAY

Kelsey, also in Hannibal with her husband Kevin Morrison, moved into public relations and later a medical office role. "She has reminded me countless times to love one another as Christ does," Mikayla wrote, "and she practices what she preaches".

Joel and Nathan both chose IT. Joel began working at Emerson Electric in Marshalltown, while Nathan, who was born with cerebral palsy, found work at Wellmark in Des Moines.

Mikayla teased Joel's dry humour while praising Nathan's resilience, writing "watching him be so independent and live in his own place and drive to work and provide for himself has been really cool to watch."

Alexis, who also has cerebral palsy, studied liberal arts at Hannibal-LaGrange and went on to work with children at Altoona Kids World. Her sister described her as "sweet to whoever she meets, no matter who they are or what they are like. That is a unique and wonderful quality."

A few years ago, in an interview with USA Today, Bobbi offered another rare glimpse into their big family, saying she loves "when everybody gets back home".

"It doesn't happen often. It's crowded and noisy. I love seeing the driveway full of cars and grandkids riding bikes," she said.

From a desperate couple hoping for a second child to a household of historic septuplets, the McCaugheys' story is far more than a record-breaking birth. It's a reminder that even when life throws seven surprises at once, love, no matter how crowded or noisy, finds a way to keep everyone connected.

Feature Image: Getty