Association expels octuplets doctor

LOS ANGELES – The Beverly Hills fertility doctor who treated octuplets mom Nadya Suleman has been expelled from the American Society of Reproductive Medicine for what was deemed a “pattern of behavior” detrimental to the industry, a spokesman for the association confirmed Monday.

The disciplinary action was approved by the association’s board in September and first reported over the weekend by USA Today. The move does not keep Dr. Michael Kamrava from continuing to practice, but sends a strong signal to prospective patients that the doctor’s standards and history are far outside acceptable limits.

Kamrava came under fire in January after Suleman gave birth to octuplets. As a single mother with six children already – all conceived through in vitro fertilization – her case raised questions about fertility industry ethics and how many embryos should be transferred. Kamrava transferred at least six embryos to Suleman, who at the time was 33 with a history of successful pregnancies. Most fertility doctors follow guidelines that recommend implanting no more than one or two embryos in women younger than 35.

“It is an action we do not take lightly and it’s one we do not take very often,” said Sean Tipton, a spokesman for the American Society of Reproductive Medicine. “This is a pattern of behavior that is detrimental to our field and not up to our standards. … We would sure like to see that patients would take it as seriously as we do.”