I had high hopes when I a story from The Globe and Mail landed in my notifications this afternoon, with the title "IVF is not a silver bullet." (Gift link.)
**SPOILER ALERT/CONTENT WARNING:** Let's just say I was disappointed. (If you are not in the mood for miracle baby endings, or happy mommy pregnancy & baby photos, don't click over.)
While the article does illuminate some of the frustrations and shortcomings of IVF treatment in Canada (and generally), I found it curiously terse and the (inevitably happy, with not just one but TWO "miracle babies" -- apparently born just four months apart?? -- after the author had almost "given up," of course) ending rather abrupt. (Several people in the comments so far seem to have felt the same way.) The graphics were kind of cool, but Ifelt like more space and attention was given to those than the story itself. I would have preferred fewer graphics/photos and more of the story itself.
I get that this was likely an excerpt from the author's book (In Fertility: The Story of a Miracle and the Big Business Behind It by Kathryn Blaze Baum, which comes out on Tuesday). .Hopefully the book gives a fuller picture of the many systemic issues, as well as the author's personal story. I am debating whether I am interested enough in the author's critique of the industry (if not her personal "miracle" story) to pick up a copy.
(But oh, it would be SO nice, just ONCE in a great while, to have one of these stories end without a "miracle baby" -- let alone babIES, plural! -- and a good life, still, regardless.... Why, why, WHY must EVERY story about infertility treatment in the mainstream media end with a baby?? )
Ewwww. And this about going back to her pre-retrieval self: "I wish I could hug her and tell her it will be a long road – but it will be okay." Which makes me feel like NOT having a baby at the end is definitely not considered "okay." Argh.
ReplyDeleteI am a little confused how two babies could be born 4 months apart. There are things that don't make sense to me. And, the pictures behind were distracting to me. I agree I would have wanted more of the story, less of the disturbing layered photos.
But also, of course it was her first IVF cycle. Add that to the miracle baby and ending with a pregnant-tossing-an-older-baby shot... good gracious my eye is twitching.
I read the article. (Thanks for the gift link.) Ugh. I'm disappointed too. She didn't talk about all those for whom it is not a silver bullet, ie following the title. Maybe she does in the book. But the article title was ultimately deceptive. If I'm being generous, at least she gave an indication of how hard the whole thing is.
ReplyDeleteI'm assuming the two babies were a combination of natural and surrogate. But she didn't elaborate, and it's really annoying me!