What about the doctor?

Ok, I'll leave Nadya alone. But I say we go after her doctor.

Isn't one of the tenets of modern medicine "first, do no harm"? So what kind of doctor implants eight (or more) embryos in an obviously fertile woman who does not believe in selective reduction, potentially putting the mother and her babies at risk?

I don't necessarily think we should be legislating baby making -- although some European countries do regulate fertility clinics. But I do think fertility doctors and the American Society for Reproductive Medicine need to take a hard look at their guidelines and standards. Apparently, the groups have established that a 33-year-old woman like Suleman should not be implanted with more than two embryos during an in vitro cycle. So what are the consequences for rogue clinics? Nothing. What about counseling or a mental health evaluation for a prospective client, especially one who is a single mom with six other children? Not required.

Fertility treatment is a big business and people desperate for a baby (or eight) may be willing to shop around until they find a doctor willing to ignore guidelines. Births of triplets and greater multiples have a 97 percent chance of being premature, which bring the cost of delivery and neonatal medical care to $51,000 per birth, according to the National Academy of Sciences. Plus, the children are at greater risk of severe health problems and developmental disabilities.

There should not be regulations on who gets to reproduce, but there should be repercussions when doctors aid in reproduction that is dangerous to mother and child.