Octomom's fertility doc testifies to save license

LOS ANGELES - The fertility doctor whose in vitro treatments gave Nadya Suleman her octuplets testified Wednesday that more than a decade before she became known as "Octomom," she had vowed to have 10 children.

" 'I'm going to have 10 kids, I just want to have large family,' " Dr. Michael Kamrava recalled Suleman saying in their first meeting in 1997. He testified on his treatment of the mother of 14 during his Medical Board of California's licensing hearing in downtown Los Angeles.

"On average, it was more than others want, however I didn't make any judgment on that, that's a personal decision," Kamrava said.

The state licensing agency alleges that Kamrava was negligent in the treatment of Suleman and two other patients, and is seeking to revoke or suspend his license. The Beverly Hills fertility doctor helped Suleman have octuplets and six other children through in vitro fertilization.

His testimony began tearfully, but Kamrava regained his composure once he delved into his educational background and the evolving science of fertility medicine through the course of his career.

Kamrava said Suleman was already taking hormones to increase her chances for becoming pregnant at the time of their first meeting.

She was "very desirous" of having children, and the then-childless woman told him she had been trying to become pregnant for four years and had suffered a miscarriage, said Kamrava.

Early on, under Kamrava's recommendation, Suleman underwent artificial insemination because it was cheaper and less invasive, but her ovaries were unresponsive and her embryos were of low quality, so the procedure didn't take, he said.

In hearings this week, an expert witness for the state testified that Suleman's medical records show Kamrava implanted 12 embryos in the pregnancy that gave Suleman octuplets. National guidelines recommend no more than two embryos for a woman her age.

In less than eight years, Kamrava repeatedly performed in vitro fertilization for Suleman, implanting her with 60 fresh embryos that resulted in a total of 14 children.

"It is not just the numbers, the quality of the embryos is extremely important," Kamrava repeatedly said.

Though he implanted many embryos for each pregnancy, Kamrava said his goal was always to have "singletons," or single-baby pregnancies.

There are health risks associated with crowding in a mother's uterus that could endanger the mother and result in premature birth or other ailments for the babies.

Suleman is identified only as N.S. in the medical board's documents and hearings but has previously identified Kamrava as her doctor. The documents also identify N.S. as the mother of octuplets, and Suleman is the mother of the world's only living full set of octuplets.

Witness Dr. Suraj Achar earlier testified that the doctor was very remorseful for his treatment of Suleman. Achar visited Kamrava's office once to assess his record-keeping at the request of the fertility doctor's lawyer.

In their only meeting, Kamrava said he regretted the outcome of Suleman's pregnancy and that they discussed his strategies to reduce multiple gestation with future patients, according to Achar.

The octuplets' birth in January 2009 was hailed by many as a miracle until details of Suleman's personal life became public, and concern grew for the safety of her 14 children. Before the octuplets were born, the unemployed and divorced Suleman and her children lived with her mother, relying on food stamps, school loans, workers compensation and disability payments for her two autistic children to get by.

More recently, Suleman has tried to make a living by selling pictures and gossip items about herself to the tabloid media, but she struggles to pay rent and is facing a $450,000 balloon payment on her La Habra home.

Kamrava is also accused of failing to refer Suleman for a mental health consultation when she repeatedly sought fertility treatment.

The state's expert witness, Dr. Victor Fujimoto, said in hearings this week that Kamrava missed a red flag when he didn't refer Suleman for a psychological evaluation after she successfully had two children for in vitro but still wanted more as a single woman.

Kamrava testified that Suleman visited his office with her sperm donor early on, and she identified him as her live-in male partner.

She said they were not married, Kamrava said.

The sperm donor listed in her records is anonymous, which is unusual when a consenting couple seeks in vitro, Fujimoto said.

Kamrava's testimony is expected to continue Thursday.