The Fertility Business

The fertility industry is booming; but is big business taking advantage of human desperation?

The Fertility Business Pulling in more than half a billion dollars each year, the fertility industry is booming. Yet evidence suggests that clinics are giving women false hope about their chances of pregnancy, while others don't even need the treatment. to profits?
Grace is one of thousands of women who have put their faith in fertility treatments to help conceive a baby. "All our savings go to IVF… Then you get that negative pregnancy result". After six unsuccessful rounds of IVF, the physical, emotional and financial toll is immense. There are concerns from industry insiders that some women undergoing IVF don't actually need it. Others warn against the practice of upselling - where women are sold expensive and unproven treatments. Furthermore, IVF has been found to be potentially harmful and has been linked to cancer. One fertility doctor worries that "with the commercialisation of IVF that's occurring, there's a pressure in every single clinic to use IVF more".
FULL SYNOPSIS

The Producers

Amit

Sara was the ABC’s Africa Correspondent from 2000 to 2005, the first woman to hold this post. She has also reported from Jakarta, the Middle East and London during the 2005 London Bombings. In February 2006, Sara became the presenter of the ABC's Landline. In September 2007, Sally was awarded the Elizabeth Neuffer Fellowship, that recognises women in Journalism, which entails study overseas. In November 2008 she took up the post as the ABC's South Asia Correspondent based in New Delhi, India.

From February to December 2011, Sara was based in Kabul as the ABC's Afghanistan correspondent which included numerous assignments in the field reporting on the war from both the Afghan and NATO sides of the conflict. Sally spent one year covering the war in Afghanistan. She reported from the frontline, entrenched with coalition forces. Sara has covered terrorist attacks, political unrest and followed the rebuilding of the country. Despite many restrictions on the activities of women in Afghanistan, Sara said she never faced a situation where she was denied interviews with officials or religious leaders. She was permitted entrance to the private homes of women – forbidden to male reporters – which allowed her more access in her role as a foreign correspondent. In a society segregated by gender, Sara said that being a female reporter allowed her ‘to have access to women to be able to tell their stories – and that’s really important. In a place like Afghanistan women and children make up almost three quarters of the population so it’s crucial that their voices are heard.’

She has reported from more than 30 countries including Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Zimbabwe, South Africa.

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