The world’s first “test tube baby” turns 40 next year. As she’s grown up, so has the medical specialty that produced her: in vitro fertilization. It’s a big business addressing a big demand. On this episode of Reveal, we examine the stakes – and high costs – of IVF.
Health Care
Flaws in the U.S. health care system, federal health programs and with individual medical providers and patients
Is Egg Donation Safe?
Dr. Jennifer Schneider lost her 31-year-old daughter to colon cancer in 2003. She wonders whether there was a link between her daughter being a three-time egg donor and the tumors found on her ovaries and abdomen.
3 ways to address the problems with IVF
Given the shortcomings of consumer protections, here are three ideas that could help fix the IVF problems we found.
When pregnancy dreams become IVF nightmares
Even as IVF has made technological advancements, an outdated measurement system and weak consumer protections obscure the differences between the best doctors in the business and those who run troubled clinics.
How we analyzed the data on IVF clinics’ embryo transfers
To analyze how often American in vitro fertilization clinics transfer one embryo at a time, we relied on self-reported data that clinics provide every year to the CDC.
Poor medical care in immigrant detention has deadly results, report says
Poor medical care, including underqualified staff and systemic neglect, has contributed to deaths at immigrant detention facilities around the country, according to a new report by two advocacy groups.
Women say drug used to halt puberty has ruined their lives
More than 10,000 adverse-event reports filed with the FDA reflect the experiences of women who’ve taken Lupron. The reports describe everything from brittle bones to faulty joints.
California reforms target workers’ compensation fraud
California is cracking down on graft in the state’s system of medical care for injured workers with two bills recently signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown.
Veterans Choice didn’t ease health care woes, especially in Alaska
Veterans Choice is Congress’ hastily crafted response to the scandal of veterans dying while awaiting appointments at VA medical facilities. Many veterans call it “No Choice” or “Bad Choice.”
Sick on the inside: What the Bureau of Prisons knew
The U.S. Department of Justice says it will eventually end its use of private prisons. In light of this news, we’re revisiting an hour of Reveal that investigates medical negligence in private prisons for immigrants and the shift in immigration enforcement that gave rise to them in the first place.