Okay, I’ll join the swirling chatter about Nadya Sulemon, the Whittier, Calif., woman who gave birth last week to octuplets. The reason for me chipping in is that it seems she already has six children ages 2 to 7 years, like the additional eight also the product of fertility treatment (although not born in groups).
Now, it’s certainly not my concern that she’s a single mother living with her parents, or that she decided to go to medicine rather than a relationship to fulfill her dream of motherhood. In this country, if you’ve got the money you pretty much get whatever you want.
I do wonder how an unemployed psychiatric technician (whatever that is) can afford in vitro treatments whose costs can easily run into six figures—& apparently go through it seven times in nine years. Or what health insurance plan would cover these treatments—seven times. &, if so, what that does to the premiums everyone else in that plan has to pay.
But my real question is: what kind of medical practitioner would give Sulemon these treatments, knowing that she already had a sizeable brood? If her maternal instincts aren’t satiated by six kids, & she’s back for more, wouldn’t you start thinking about a psych consult?
How is this different from a plastic surgeon faced with a patient with body dysmorphic disorder looking for her 15th procedure in five years? That surgeon is obligated to try to discourage the patient from further alteration of her body until she’s seen a therapist of some sort.
Moreover, if Sulemon had gone the adoption route to fulfill her mothering dreams, there isn’t a reputable agency in the country that wouldn’t have investigated her background thoroughly & refused after the first three, or five, or six.
I get it that it’s not the physician’s job to be a social worker. But isn’t there some level of due diligence? & where was the insurer in all this? The babies were born at Kaiser Permanente—did they provide the services pro bono? If so, that’ll be a first.
I’m sure this discussion will continue for a long time. I’m just interested in seeing how long before we see this woman back in the headlines for either giving birth again or being hauled in by children’s services.
Oh—& of course we’re going to see at least two Movies of the Week (one on Lifetime), a book deal & many sponsorship opportunities.
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