‘Octomom’ doctor accused of gross negligence

LOS ANGELES – The fertility doctor who treated the woman who gave birth to octuplets last year has been accused of ‘gross negligence,’ a disciplinary complaint filed by the California Medical Board showed.

The executive director of the board, Barbara Johnston, said in the complaint that Dr Michael Kamrava had acted ‘beyond reasonable judgement’ by helping Nadya Suleman conceive octuplets.Suleman, 34, who already had six children, became a tabloid fixation last January when she successfully gave birth to octuplets in Los Angeles, and was dubbed ‘Octomom.’The case triggered widespread condemnation, with experts slamming Kamrava’s West Coast IVF Clinic in Beverly Hills, which carried out the treatment.Under guidelines issued by the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), a woman Suleman’s age should have no more than two embryos implanted.Experts say multiple-birth babies are often born prematurely – Suleman’s octuplets were born nine and a half weeks early – which puts them at significantly greater risk of long-term health problems.In addition to questioning Kamrava’s treatment methods, Johnston’s complaint also faults the doctor for not referring Suleman to a mental health professional after she repeatedly sought fertility treatment.The complaint also noted that Kamrava implanted Suleman with a number of embryos ‘far in excess of the (American Society of Reproductive Medicine) recommendation and beyond the reasonable judgement of any treating physician.’ASRM expelled Kamrava in September, but his medical license was not affected, allowing him to continue treating patients.A hearing date has not yet been set for the Medical Board complaint, which could see Kamrava’s license revoked or suspended. – Nampa

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