Octomom Doc Kamrava: 'It Was Done the Right Way'

July 13, 2010 — -- It's perhaps the biggest scandal ever to hit the world of in-vitro fertilization. The so-called "Octomom," Nadya Suleman, gave birth last year to eight children even though she was a single mother with no job and had six previous children in rapid succession through IVF.

While Suleman has given interviews and talked about her doctor -- the doctor who helped her give birth to all 14 of her children -- the doctor himself has never spoken about the case, until now.

He is Dr. Michael Kamrava, a 30-year veteran of IVF. Originally from Iran, Kamrava has been roundly condemned by the medical world.

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"It's been very traumatic and quite unexpected," Kamrava said of the treatment at the hands of his medical peers.

Kamrava said he remains confident, however, that in the case of Nadya Suleman, he did the right thing.

"Because of the doctor-patient confidentiality, I can't talk about that," he said. But then he offered this:

"It was done the right way," he said. "...Under the circumstances."

Octomom Doc's Detractors

Many of Kamrava's peers in the medical world do not agree. He was kicked out of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) after it came out that he implanted six embryos in Nadya Suleman's womb.

The society's guidelines say no more than two embryos should be implanted in women under 35 years of age. Suleman turned 35 on July 11. She gave birth to the octuplets in January 2009, at age 33.

"I would say it would be totally irresponsible," said Dr. Roger Lobo, the ASRM's president-elect, referring to Kamrava's actions.

What's more, government statistics show that Kamrava was regularly implanting many more embryos in his patients than recommended by the ASRM.

We asked Kamrava about the characterization by Lobo of his continual implantations of multiple embryos as "totally irresponsible."

"It's interesting to hear that, where according to the ASRM, actually -- and I have a copy of their latest commentary on this -- they say 70 percent of the programs do not adhere to their recommendations," said Kamrava. "So, how do you put me in the same group on the same people criticizing me? ... I'm not defending. I'm saying there are certain situations that need certain attention in each case."

Dr. Michael Kamrava: Changes in Technique

Kamrava says he has made changes to the techniques he uses, to prevent multiple births in the future.

"We have implemented channels that will prevent these kind of things happening ever again," he said.

For example, Kamrava said, he's now requiring new patients, such as Sylvia Bedrossian-Lopez, a lawyer, to sign a consent form that would require them to follow his advice about how many embryos are safe to implant.

Bedrossian-Lopez told ABC News that Kamrava's having had a patient who had octuplets didn't deter her.

Despite the changes he says he has made, Kamrava is now in danger of losing his medical license. The Medical Board of California has accused him of a pattern of "gross negligence."

Lobo said it worried him that somebody like Kamrava was still out there treating patients.

Kamrava defended his practice, however.

"I've been in practice for 30 years, and I have been of service to the people for 30 years," he said.

While Kamrava fights to keep his license, Nadya Suleman's octuplets are now 17 months old.

"Again, it has been traumatic and it has made a lot of impact -- not on me but also my family," Kamrava said. "So it's been difficult."

He described how he dealt in the low moments.

"My wife talks to me a lot and gives me comfort," he said. "And I do a lot of walking and sometimes bicycling. ... That helps."

Kamrava's meeting before the medical board is this fall. He says he's confident he'll be able to convince them to let him stay in business.