Woman Who Sued After Septuplet Birth Has Twins With Aid of Drug

Patti Frustaci, who gave birth to septuplets nearly six years ago after taking a fertility drug, has delivered twins produced with the help of the same drug, her lawyer said Wednesday.

Patti and Sam Frustaci became parents of a boy and a girl, Jordan Browne and Jaclyn Lee, on Dec. 21 at Loma Linda University Medical Center in Loma Linda, attorney R. Browne Greene said.

Greene represented the Frustacis in a wrongful death suit filed against the fertility clinic and the doctor who helped conceive the septuplets. Four boys and three girls were delivered at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Orange, but only three of the babies survived and each suffers medical and developmental problems.

The couple settled the suit against Tyler Medical Clinic Inc. in Los Angeles and Dr. Jaroslav Marik in July for $2.7 million. The Frustacis alleged that the clinic and Marik failed to properly monitor the effects of the drug Pergonal on the mother.

The defendants countered that Patti Frustaci was not a cooperative patient. Defense lawyers said she disregarded doctor’s orders by refusing a key medical test because of the inconvenience and expense.

Immediately after the settlement was announced in July, it was learned that Patti Frustaci had again used Pergonal to become pregnant.

“The main thing about the twins is that they are healthy and exactly what Sam and Patti wanted,” said Greene. “They even named the boy after me, which is quite an honor,” Greene said.

The Frustacis also have an older son, Joseph, who is a healthy 7-year-old, according to Greene.