With a reality show in the works, we can soon expect to have the so-called Octomom, Nadya Suleman, back in the spotlight. In the meantime, what's happened to the doctor who enabled her to have eight children at once?
According to the Associated Press, Dr. Michael Kamrava implanted six embryos in Nadya Suleman, far more than specified in national guidelines. Two of the embryos split, resulting in two sets of twins, for a total of eight babies.
The Beverly Hills physician was recently expelled from the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. The reason: he "violated the group's standards." A spokesperson for the organization was careful to say that the action was not related to any single patient. The action does not impact the doctor's ability to practice medicine, or to create another Octomom.
What do you think?
* Was the professional group's action appropriate, too little or just right?
* Should specific actions be taken against this doctor?
* Should women be able to have as many embryos as they want implanted?
* Is it appropriate to develop a reality show rewarding multiple births?
* Do you think such a reality show will result in more women seeking fertility treatments to generate large families?
Or do you find this a circus that degrades women and mothers?
Can't wait to hear your thoughts.
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Pat,
I was actually astonished to learn that a doctor could be expelled from his or her primary professional organization and that it would virtually have no effect.
It felt quite appropriate that they expelled him, since the violation of standards was obviously violated so badly. But I actually had this thought: That women who are desperate to be pregnant may actually now SEEK this doctor out just BECAUSE he will implant more embryos at once, giving them a greater chance of pregnancy. Infertility treatments are such a rollercoaster of emotions and are so expensive that it wouldn't surprise me if this happens. Not because moms want 8 or 14 kids, but because they want one, or two, and would be perfectly happy if they were blessed with more at the same time.
I don't think you can enforce limits, however. I think you have to rely on the profession to set its own standards and police itself. In the same way that cosmetic surgeons must. There will always be surgeons who will participate when someone wants 5, 10, or 15 cosmetic surgeries in pursuit of "perfection," but the vast majority of them won't indulge such a patient. Same with fertility doctors -- during the peak of the stories about the octuplets and their mom, every fertility specialist who was interviewed or quoted was aghast that the whole thing had ever happened, and wanted to distance themselves as far as possible from Dr. Kamrava.
Thought-provoking topic for sure. I'll love reading what others have to say.
October 21, 2009 - 10:49amThis Comment