Oprah Sits Down with Octuplets Grandfather; Nadya Suleman's Father Speaks

On January 26, 2009, Nadya Suleman gave birth to eight babies in California hospital. What became a medical miracle turned into a controversy, because Nadya Suleman was already a mother of six babies, unemployed, on welfare and her children were conceived through IVF fertility treatments.

Ed Doud, father of Nadya Suleman, sat down with Oprah on Tuesday to speak out about the controversy, the octuplets, his daughter and more. Dr. Oz joined the conversation to speak about Nadya Suleman's pregnancy, IVF treatment and answer medical side of questions about multiple births and multiple birth risks.

Here is the Oprah Show recap of Oprah's interview with Ed Doud, Nadya "OctoMom" Suleman's father:

The Octuplets' Mom Nadya Suleman
Oprah begins the show by explaining the controversy of Nadya Suleman and the birth of the octuplet children. She also makes it clear that Ed Doud called her producers and wanted to speak out.
Ed Doud talks about the eight babies, saying that the children are doing well and are thriving.
Doud explains how he found out about Nadya Suleman's pregnancy by speaking to his ex-wife on the phone. He was unaware that Nadya was pregnant and that she was in the hospital. He was shocked when he found out that Nadya was pregnant with seven babies. Ed Doud came back to the states after that phone call, in order to help out with the six children at home.

Oprah asks if he was fine with having all of these embryos implanted and Ed Doud answers "No". Nadya Suleman had six embryos implanted during her IVF. Ed Doud also says that he was not okay with Nadya having the previous six children. He explains the concerns about finances and how difficult it is to raise children. Doud also goes into Nadya's education, she is trying to get a degree in Psychology and Counseling. He says that her counseling education should have told her that she does not need more children.

Oprah and Doud discuss the "void" Nadya experienced and what she blames for having so many children. Doud tries to blame NBC interview producers for taking Nadya out of the hospital too soon, while she was still under medication. He says that is not Nadya he knows, meaning in the NBC interview. Even though Oprah argues that she seems fine in the interview and in control. Doud feels like Nadya did the interview with Ann Curry under duress and that she made statements that she would not make today.

Doud claims that Suleman was not on welfare but on food stamps, Oprah explains that food stamps are a form of welfare. They go into a discussion over welfare and tax dollars, but Ed Doud claims he is helping to raise the children.

NBC declined to comment on Ed Doud's claims about the Suleman interview.

Ed Doud - A Grandfather of 14
Video is shown of Nadya Suleman's mother speaking to Radar Online, saying Nadya justified the eight babies by saying embryos would be destroyed. Nadya's mother explains the embryos were frozen, therefore they were not living. She calls Nadya irresponsible for wanting all of these embryos implanted in her.

Oprah asks if the doctor and his daughter were irresponsible and Doud says that both Nadya and the doctor were irresponsible. The question about mental stability comes up. Oprah talks about Nadya that she may be unstable, due to her decisions. Ed Doud agrees and says that he questions Nadya's mental situation. He begs the people to not punish someone who is not mentally complete. Ed Doud wants Nadya Suleman to be evaluated and asks Oprah if she can help with that.

They discuss the NBC interview with Ann Curry further, and about the statements made by Nadya Suleman. Doud keeps trying to defend Suleman's statements and feels that NBC in a way exploited his daughter because she was still on medication and recovering.

Ed Doud says he is willing to do anything for his daughter and his grandchildren. Doud says that Nadya's mom has been very stressed out over everything. They talk about the foreclosure, and he says he did not realize this was going on. Apparently he was unaware that his ex-wife, Nadya Suleman's mother, was behind on mortgage payments. Doud says he had $9,000 when he came back to the states but now he has $100 in the bank. He has to back overseas for his job, and he does not want to be 10,000 miles away from his grandchildren.

Video is shown of people and how they feel about Nadya Suleman's decision to have more children. Most people feel that she should not had this many kids without any monetary support or a job. Some people are upset that the tax payers have to pay for Nadya Suleman's children. The last lady shown hopes the negative feelings will die down soon, and what is best for the children will be done. She hopes people join to help the children because it is the right thing to do.

Ed Doud and Dr. Oz explain why Nadya Suleman cannot have children on her own, without fertility treatments. It is some sort of a medical condition that affected her tubes, and eggs cannot travel to be fertilized by sperm.

Ed Doud says that to his understanding all the children have the same father, the sperm came from one of Nadya's friends. To his understanding, the sperm donor does know he has all of these children. He claims the sperm donor has met one of the children when the child was first born. He refers to him as a tall, handsome man, but that the meeting was short and that was it.

Ed Doud explains why Nadya Suleman got hurt on the job, and what happened during a riot at her job site. Suleman was on disability due to the work injury, she kept going to school though. She had the first child while still in school, and after her job injury.

After she had the first child, he explains that Nadya wanted more children. And kept saying she wanted more and more children after each pregnancy. She was taking care of her children at first by herself, the first four.

Ed Doud blames the fertility doctor over what has happened, he spoke to Nadya's doctor after the fourth child was born. Ed Doud was shocked when the doctor told him over the phone that Nadya was pregnant. He told the doctor that enough is enough and he should stop doing this. He explained that what the doctor was doing was hurting the Suleman family. He said the doctor did not understand.

The conversation happened when Nadya was pregnant with the twins. He did say the doctor apologized and said he was sorry. Doud was hoping it was over and he did not know there were more embryos.

Doud claims that Nadya said she knew what she was doing, but that that every time she had a child she claimed that was it and she was done.
Doud says his plan is to do what he can to help Nadya and his ex-wife. He says his grandchildren are his life, and nothing will stop him from helping the children.

He speaks about the website, and Nadya setting up a donation website for her and the children. He says she needs help, and personally he says to everyone that they do need help. Do not punish my daughter for what she was done, and do not punish the babies were his words. He talks about how the babies were a gift from God. Oprah makes a point that God gives people choices, and that Nadya chose to do this to herself. She made the choice to have six embryos implanted.

Doud and Oprah discuss God's will and Nadya's choice to have these children. To Nadya frozen embryos were her babies, she was not going to destroy the frozen embryos because they were her babies.

Oprah points out that Nadya Suleman's doctor is now being investigated by the Medical Board of California for his involvement in this case.

"A Kind of Child Cruelty"
Dr. Oz speaks about ethics in medicine, and fertility treatments. He says that unethical behavior makes fertility treatments look bad. He says that it will cost millions to raise these children and just to get them out of the hospital.

He calls this a form of child cruelty. He calls Nadya Suleman delusional, and that she is doing this for some "big void". He asks about Nadya's childhood and Doud says that he spoiled Nadya. They talked about Nadya being an only child and that she wanted a brother or a sister growing up.

Dr. Oz explains that she will never satisfy this void inside, as this appears to be psychological.

A Skype viewer, Lisa, talks about her experience with a family member who had multiple children. She says that they took the family member to the doctor. She asks why Nadya's family did not step in more forcefully to stop Nadya from having all these children.

Doud explains that Nadya has always been a good mother. He claims that she is a devoted mom who loves her kids. Oprah explains that no one is questioning if Nadya is a good mother to her kids. Doud also says how he and his wife helped to raise the children, but they did not speak out.

The issue becomes about children getting attention, and if they will ever get enough individual attention. Dr. Oz explains about emotional, developmental problems these kids may face because of being multiples and premature. Dr. Oz explains that problems should be expected from these children and that there is a chance some will grow up with medical problems.

Robin, another Skype viewer is a mother of quadruplets and they speak about Autism. The viewer has a son with Autism, and she does not understand how Nadya can take care of 14 children with some of them having Autism.

Dr. Oz calls this a major failure in professionalism. He blames the doctor, for implanting all the embryos at the same time into Nadya. He says the children have the right to achieve a full, healthy life.

Kimber, another Skype viewer, says that people can be held accountable without being held in contempt. She thinks that people should have compassion, and that people should concentrate on welfare change and not attack Nadya for her fourteen children.

Dr. Oz explains that people do not trust Nadya, and won't send her money because they do not trust her. He makes a joke that Nadya may spend the money on a pedicure and not on the children. Ed Doud says people can send the money to him then.

Skype viewer, Virviane, explains her fertility frustration and her understanding towards Nadya's wishes.

Fertility Guidelines
The topic of fertility guidelines and national standard practices come up. Jamie Grifo, a doctor, is not Nadya's doctor but he says that it is amazing the babies managed to survive. Guidelines state that a fresh embryos statement for a woman under age 35 no more than 2 embryos should be transplanted. There are no laws limiting the number of embryos transferred. The doctor says he does not want laws limiting IVF, because the goal of the doctor is to give the parents one healthy pregnancy. Doctor talks about dangers of pre-term labor, premature birth and the risks of IVF treatment.

Nadya Suleman just turned 33, and she should have had only two embryos implanted. Dr. Oz explains why people cannot step in and get involved in medical treatment. He says that no one wants the government getting involved in their personal relationship with their doctor. He talks about the failure of Suleman's doctor, and he blames the physician for what has transpired with the multiple embryos.

Ed Doud told the producers this situation turned his life upside down. He says he is a survivor, but he has to work harder and he is 67 years old. He has to protect his family and his grandchildren. His biggest fear is anything happening to me. His greatest hope is to stay healthy and for his grandchildren to be healthy. He wants Nadya to finish her schooling.

Sources:

The Oprah Show

The Octuplet Controversy: Dr. Oz Weighs In

Ann Curry Interview with Nadya Suleman

Octuplet Grandmother Speaks Out against Nadya Suleman