Upamanyu Biswas
The Lifetime biopic ‘I Was Octomom: The Natalie Suleman Story’ follows Natalie Suleman, a young mother whose life is upended when she gives birth to octuplets, which brings intense scrutiny from the public and garners her the moniker “Octomom.” Subsequently, she must overcome the challenges set in front of her while balancing parenting and working off her dire financial situation. The film shares her personal struggles in an intimate manner, uncovering the toll it took on her emotionally and mentally. It also probes into her relationship with Dr. Michael Kamrava, a fertility physician who plays a significant role in her life. The doctor employs some questionable practices while carrying out Natalie’s IVF treatment, ones which directly impact her reproductive health and her octuplet pregnancy.
Dr. Michael Kamrava Played a Key Role in the Birth of Natalie’s Octuplets
Dr. Michael Kamrava in ‘I Was Octomom: The Natalie Suleman Story’ is based on a real-life doctor whose IVF practices were pivotal in Natalie’s journey into motherhood. The movie’s subject matter and exploration largely center on that miraculous path to becoming a parent, faithfully recreating the issues she faced as a single mother. However, the extraordinary case becomes even more intriguing as Dr. Kamrava’s professional integrity is brought under question after the woman conceives the octuplets. The incident happened in 2009, bringing much heat upon Natalie and the real-life Kamrava’s practice. Although the two had a strong patient-doctor relationship for years, the case put a dent into that bond as a significant amount of interest was generated in his affairs.
Natalie started seeing Dr. Kamrava as far back as 1997 when he began her IVF treatments that would eventually make it possible for her to become a mother. As his contributions were life-altering, she began viewing him as a hero and someone whom she was indebted to for making it possible for her to have fourteen children. Yet, criticism piled up against the woman from the media and the public for her decision to have so many children when she gave birth to octuplets. A similar inquisition was targeted at Kamrava, who had garnered scrutiny in the medical world for his rare practice of implanting large numbers of embryos into prospective mothers. Natalie claimed that the doctor had transferred numerous embryos to her during each IVF cycle, exceeding the standard protocol for women her age.
Dr. Michael Kamrava Lost His Medical License in 2011
The Medical Board of California led an investigation into Dr. Michael Kamrava’s means, which had previously garnered a few negative opinions. After conducting their study, they claimed that Kamrava had committed gross negligence through his actions and departed from the normal IVF treatment when taking care of Natalie Suleman’s pregnancy. According to them, Kamrava’s decision to implant 12 embryos into Natalie, which eventually led to the octuplets, was an irresponsible decision and went against the guidelines. The American Society for Reproductive Medicine recommends only two embryos for women aged under 35, which was well short of the number of embryos implanted in Natalie. Kamrava alleged that he was ensuring that her pregnancy had an increased chance of producing a baby.
In 2011, the board decided to revoke Kamrava’s license after sharing their concerns about his negligent behavior as a healthcare professional. In addition to Natalie’s treatment, the board was reportedly unhappy with another two patients whom Kamrava treated. His subsequent requests for a license reinstatement were also denied. According to a 2018 New York Times report, he left the United States in 2016 and is allegedly still sharing his medical knowledge abroad. He has kept a low profile through the years, which is understandable after the attention he gained following the birth of the octuplets.
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