The big business of fertility medicine

As I was driving to work yesterday I heard mention on the local NPR station of an upcoming program about fertility medicine. I didn't catch when it was and searching their site hasn't been helpful so I decided to do a general web search. I did find some other interesting artitles that I thought you might enjoy so here you go.

I think this first one is the program I heard about on the radio, about the unregulated big business of fertility medicine:

The Baby Business - Here and Now Podcast and a transcription on the Living on Earth site
Infertility is a painful prospect for hopeful parents, but Harvard Business School professor Deborah Spar also saw infertility as a big business, 3 billion dollars in the U.S. alone. And she says, should we view it more as a business.
Wed, 08 Mar 2006 16:58:02 EST

The Fertility Race -- a series of radio shows from Minnesota Public Radio about fertility


All Too Conceivable - Slate.com, an article about the short-lived NBC show Inconceivable


It's interesting listening to the program after our recent stint back in with the RE. I'm feeling pretty okay right now, and my period just show up yesterday even. I feel liberated right now, like it doesn't matter if we conceive or not. I don't think I wrote about it here but my sister called me last week and I told her about our recent struggles and how I just didn't like how it all felt and she said right away, quite earnestly and supportively -- "but you have so much else going on in your life." It was said with love and compassion and a deep understanding of my value and worth, something only a sister who loved you could say or perhaps a very dear friend.

I found out this week that one of my infertile buddies finally birthed her little girl, she got pregnant right as my last one was failing. And then another online buddy, this one dealing with Spleen Qi Deficiency and infertility and being treated by an acupuncturist, she got a BFP and I'm really pleased for her.

While in New York a few weeks ago, my friend Jen mentioned that it was odd for those of us who meet in the online space to have access to each other's lives in this deeply personal and intense times of our lives as we deal with fertility and family. I think she's right, it's downright profound that we should even think to share so much of that experience with relative strangers online, though it speaks volumes to the relative amount of stress the experience comes with that we need to talk about it so much. The only downside of it is when you find out that you are in the very small group of people who don't concieve on their own after two years. And then watch as others pursue fertility treatments, some of which are not available to you due to other health issues. And then when the situation changes and you realize that you have philosophical issues with fertiity treatment and that you don't want to do it (that's me right now), it just makes it hard to relate a bit to those who were infertile and are now mothers. Those who were infertile and are now pursuing treatment. Those who were infertile and are pursuing adoption.

I think that God has a purpose for me yet, be it as a mother or in some other role. I just need to be the very best me I can be in the meantime so I'm refocusing on life outside of baby-making. I'm able to focus around the house like I haven't been able to do in several years due to the emotional disruptions of fibroids, infertility, surgery and miscarriage. I'm able to focus on growing at work and I'm really proud of my strength and determination. I still care for my online friends so much, and I've been pleased to see that they are as awesome in person as online. There's a great gift in that and someday I hope to see more of them as I travel around.

Goodnight for now.