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Video: ‘Octomom’ doc could lose license

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   >>> hearing is now underway to decide if the doctor who implanted nadya suleman with 14 embryos should lose his medical license .

   >> reporter: the fertility doctor walked into a los angeles medical hearing where a deputy attorney general called it negligence and argued he should be stripped of his medical license . the charges stem from care he gave at least three mashlts including octomom nadya suleman . he implanted her with eight embryos which led to eight babies in 2009 . many medical experts, doctors say such a high embryonic transfer crossed the ethical line.

   >> for somebody to receive 12 embryos would be considered quite unusual. we really have not seen that before.

   >> reporter: sul maeman who was a mother of six before her final embryonic transfer as haulz defended her daughter.

   >> reporter: suleman claims she was only implanted six embryos, something officials have disputed during the hearing. meanwhile the doctor also failed to refer suleman to a medical health expert throughout her long 11-year history with him as her fertility doctor. suleman is struggling to pay her rent, faces eviction, even had a yard sale to raise desperately needed cash.

   >> so to people who have criticized not just you, but criticized your ivf doctor.

   >> he did nothing wrong.

   >> reporter: he didn't answer any questions outside of the hearing on monday, but his attorney did say he follows all medical guidelines and shows great care for all of his patients.

   >> he has practiced with the stan dofrd of care he posed a threat to the public, welfare, safety and protection.

   >> the hearing could take two weeks, but when it's over, it could cost the doctor his medical license .

   >> dr. nancy snyderman is nbc's chief medical correspondent. it sounds like they were raised even before the court that there were 12 embryos, allegedly.

   >> the standard of care is really one or two, maybe three embryos, depending on the age of a mother. never six, never 12. when a comes in and says i want twins, that's a red flag , because most women say i really want have to have a baby. tests need to be done to make sure the woman is stable enough, but very important, it is not the first case that this doctor has come under the spotlight for. so when you hear about repeat behavior, that is below the standard of care , that's a huge red flag , the uterus is only so big, it's not a condominium, it's only meant for one or two fetuses, because what you want to see at the end is a healthy mom and healthy babies.

   >> you're talking about judgment, and not all doctors have good judgment. but there are no regulations that say you can only implant so many. should there be regulations? have we reached the point now that technology has outrun judgment?

   >> technology will always run ahead because we'll sort of always chase the technology. there are laws in europe that require only two embryos be implanted. physicians have been very poor in places themselves. this man was kicked out of one of the academic societies and it's going to be very interesting to see if california is going to sort of stick to the guidelines that it says doctors should follow and take away his license. the only way you can punish doctors who have been flying under the guidelines and have been flying under the radar is to punish them where it hurts. you deny them the right to practice medicine.

   >> what about the idea that when a patient comes in and wants to be pregnant multiple times, whether it is -- is it a different guideline? or should there be a regulation that you say this patient should have a mental evaluation?

   >> no matter who comes in, you want to make sure that she understands what she's doing, that she's mentally stable, depression, anxiety, all those things can be a normal part of life.

   >> but is that required?

   >> it's not required but it is done at the great medical centers and at the great programs. but if a woman comes in already having six babies, unemployed, a history of depression, and then asks for a specific number of babies, that is a red flag that is so huge i don't understand why it wasn't paid attention to.

   >> this is the kind of thing that this medical examination that we're talking about, could that be one of the factors in causing a doctor like in this case to lose his medical license ?

   >> the california board of medical examiners, they have held my california license for a long time. drug history, how you prescribe, patients' complaints against you. do you fit the ethical guidelines of the subspecialty you're in? i think all eyes right now are on california and it going to be very interesting to see if they have the gumption that a lot of people are saying this could be a hallmark case of what not to do. they can do the right thing and set the record straight .

   >> dr. nancy snyderman , thank you as always for your great perspective.

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