Octomom says she's downright PROUD of her new topless photo shoot ... claiming she has absolutely nothing to be ashamed of ... except her financial situation.
Nadya Suleman just called in to "TMZ Live" ... and said she made the decision to go half-naked because the shoot was for a women's magazine ... not a men's magazine ... and she didn't think the spread would be "hyper-sexualized."
While she admits the move was done out of desperation ... because she's completely strapped for cash ... Octo says, "I'm not ashamed of doing it ... I feel as though no woman or man should be ashamed of their body."
And even though she's close to broke ... Octo says a XXX career is still off the table ... despite the fact she once got a million dollar offer to sign a porn contract.