Wombs for Rent, Eggs for Sale

Under The Scrubs

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In this weeks episode, we dive deep into the hidden world of the global fertility industry—from legal sperm and egg donation to the alarming rise of black market egg sales, illegal surrogacy, and human trafficking tied to reproductive exploitation.

What begins as a promise of helping families grow often spirals into an unregulated system where human eggs are sold illegally, surrogates are exploited, and vulnerable donors are targeted based on age, race, and economic status. We investigate how the high demand for donor eggs, international fertility tourism, and the commercialization of surrogacy have opened the door to ethical grey zones and outright criminal practices.

Stories from previous donors who went over the recommended donation amount, those who sold their eggs to make ends meet, human rights being exploited, and even someone who lost their life. This episode sheds light on the dark underbelly of the assisted reproductive technology (ART) industry. We’ll explore how loosely enforced regulations and global inequality have turned parts of the fertility world into a lucrative—and sometimes dangerous—market.

Resources:

https://www.arcfertility.com/patient-resources/understanding-the-cost-of-ivf/

https://www.phoenixspermbank.com/blog/take-become-sperm-donor/

https://thefertilityagency.com/blog/how-much-do-egg-donors-make

https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/women-enslaved-in-georgia-for-human-egg-harvesting-by-chinese-gangsters-report-7665007

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/women-and-girls/the-dark-side-of-the-global-surrogacy-trade/

https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2024-fertility-egg-trade/?srnd=undefined&leadSource=uverify%20wall

https://www.theworldeggandspermbank.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/The-Importation-of-Eggs-from-Developing-Countries-Diana-Thomas-Opinion-Piece.pdf

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