In Fertility - by Kathryn Blaze Baum (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

From award-winning journalist Kathryn Blaze Baum, a powerful account of one woman's quest for answers--and a miracle--from the big business of fertility.

After having their first child without issue, Kathryn and her husband were trying for a second. She suffered one miscarriage after another, and ultimately turned to in vitro fertilization for help. A fertility odyssey ensued: two IVF clinics, many failed embryo transfers, two surrogates, more than 100 transvaginal ultrasounds and an untold number of blood draws. She gave herself hundreds of injections. Had hundreds of eggs removed from her body. And spent hundreds of thousands of dollars. But a story told in numbers is far from the whole picture.

While Kathryn's struggles were extreme, they're also alarmingly common. It's not often, though, that an investigative reporter with the skill to probe her own quest and the fertility sector more broadly finds herself at the centre of the story. Using her own experiences as a jumping-off point to propel a page-turning personal narrative, one of Canada's top journalists gives voice to the women and families at the industry's mercy. She dives deep into a world ripe for scrutiny while peeling back layers, exploring the exhilarating highs and the devastating lows of her own journey. Countless hours of research and more than 100 interviews later, Kathryn shines a light on the key players and pressing issues in the realm of assisted reproduction. Her examination of the industry delves into matters of access, ethics, the law, trauma, economics and the relationships between clinics, surrogacy agencies and patients--whose needs and best interests aren't always the priority.

Perhaps most importantly, In Fertility asks the difficult questions and uncovers essential truths for anyone embarking on their own fertility journey. The result is a tour de force, with an incredible plot twist, that will leave you feeling shocked, uplifted, informed and hopeful.

About the Author

KATHRYN BLAZE BAUM is an award-winning investigative reporter with The Globe and Mail. Since joining The Globe in 2013, she has probed systemic failures of the criminal justice, healthcare, immigration and child-welfare systems, raised awareness of Indigenous issues, and exposed gaps in government oversight. Kathryn has won two National Newspaper Awards and has been a finalist for the prestigious Michener Award for public-service journalism. Kathryn lives in Toronto with her family.